Meditation Exercise:

Picture your fear as a mountain, a mountain you are climbing. Getting to the top of this fear will be a struggle, but possible; keep hiking. When you get to the top and look down, the fear will seem much smaller. This journey you were able to overcome will strengthen your perceptions. Every step helps release the fear.

Meditation Exercise:

Update your intentions for the summer. What are your self-improvement goals for the summer. Whether it is eating healthier, exercising, becoming more mindful, making more time for relationships, or all of it - be specific. Create a detailed list of your summer intentions; much like a bucket list. However, part of learning the power of intentions is to create practical goals. It is important to dream, but it is also important to not set yourself up for failure. Sometimes when we are dealing with issues like self-sabotage, even if it is sub-conscious bad habits, or simply have a lot on our plate in which we stretch ourselves then, setting intentions can be an addictive habit and can easily become a list that is always out of reach. Therefore, I suggest creating intentions one at a time. Each day, wake up to greet the day and pick one intention to focus on, something you know you can achieve and that fits into the big picture of all of your goals. This creates the habit and positive-reinforcement of being able to meet your intentions, which helps propel the momentum of your journey forward.

Gemini is the communicator of the zodiacs. They have a flowing mind for philosophy and conversation. They also have a wanderlust energy; always craving adventure near and far. Their personalities are very diverse and dynamic due to the twin nature of this sign. Sometimes these personalities are in sync and other-times it can be much like their element; air, blowing from one mood to another. Geminis can bring a lot of insight into your life, but also the opportunity of learning how to deal with a variety of thoughts and moods. Connecting with this sign requires a lot of patience and ability to keep up in conversation. An over-active Gemini may be very set in their opinions and overly vocal. A Gemini out of touch with their nature could have a great deal of anxiety when it comes to travel or communication; it could be what they crave most, but have been programmed to fear depending on their environment. When this nature is not nurtured, anxiety prevails. A balanced Gemini knows when to pursue communication, travel, relationships, and life opportunities. This Gemini new moon is a great opportunity for anyone to become more in touch with the Gemini personality.

Hours of Power

Today’s Challenge: Arms

Pick an exercise to focus on and see how many you can do by the end of the day. Every hour or so, take 2-3 minutes to see how many reps you can fit in, at the end of the day add it up.

-Jumping jacks

-arm raises (weights optional)

-push-ups

Pick 1 project, whether a box, a room, or a corner to accomplish a deep cleaning task. Cleaning up can be very therapeutic. Making time for it can be hard, but when we let it build up, the more it builds up in our mind. However, if we set aside a little time for 1 project a day; it adds up.

Cleaning can be very empowering. It’s a very therapeutic feeling when done in good vibes. Life is busy! It flies by! Sometimes before you know it, a mountain of chores has piled. Cleaning your space is a method for reclaiming your time, energy, and life. It can be overwhelming when thinking about how much needs to be done and when to do it, but if you just go for it, it can open up the skies in the mind and the fog will fade. Most importantly, have fun while doing it! In the pics above, Mom and I had just returned from a Drs appt. and errands. It had been a long day, we were still in dress clothes, and as we were saying our goodbyes we were discussing our schedule and trying to figure out when and how to fit everything in. We happened to grab a brush while standing on the back porch late in the evening and next thing we knew, we were scrubbing the whole house; an item off the bucket list we had been trying to create time for awhile. It was still scorching weather and many other things that needed tending to, but nothing like elbow grease to finish a busy, powerful day.

Why is fresh, green food important for a healthy diet?

Rather than getting into all the lingo, simply know; green food is the ultimate detox food, but should not be a “detox only” ingredient. There should be a clean, green item in nearly every meal of the day or AT LEAST daily. The CLEAN (non-processed or chemical based food), green food helps keep all systems flowing by providing energy from quite the list of vitamins and minerals. It helps remove toxins and free radicals. They are also very filling and often low in calories. You can only eat but so much before feeling a little “gassy” and stuffed. Green foods are often very fibrous, so the digestive process starts quicker and the energy last longer and/or more useful properties are pulled from the ingredients to keep the body performing well. Whereas, processed food is often slower digestion and often lacking in energy, which means it moves through while supplying little energy and some of the properties are added to the body’s “storage systems”. Green food can be troublesome for people who struggle with digestive health issues, but portion and preparation can make a major difference. Smoothies, pureed items, soups, etc. are examples of such. Stay tuned for workshops or more tips on my favorite items and methods.

My journey with Crohn’s Disease was centered around a liquid diet quite often. Surviving off of nutritional liquids for a good portion of 3 years is what helped me calm the Crohn’s down and created a path to remission. It also helped me further commit to my nutrition and whole-wellness goals. However, doing major cleansing detoxes or completely depending on liquids is not something I recommend unless it is to address a chronic condition and supported by someone with an education in Nutrition. Otherwise, you could be depriving yourself of important nutrition. Doing so will then create the urge to binge eat or return to heavier nutritional habits once off the cleanse. Therefore, I personally find the best way to get the nutrition of a “cleanse” and create sustainable, realistic habits is to create a daily lifestyle of clean-eating. Sometimes I replace a meal with a “liquid meal” from one of my own DIY smoothies. When I am in a good flow and what I recommend, is to do a “liquid meal” with breakfast and as an afternoon snack. The morning jar will help you start your day with good sources of nutrition. The afternoon jar will help supply you with energy between lunch and dinner to help you reduce the portion at dinner. When we go too long without eating, this is when we go for the bigger portions and quick-filling substances. Keeping meals in play, as smaller portions, during a cleanse can help keep nutrition exciting with texture and taste. This will help stay motivated to maintain it.

Check out the imbalance section on the above graphic and reflect on if these possibilities are present. If so, meditate or journal on why they are occurring and brainstorm steps to creating a better balance with such. Allow yourself time to do the chakra work on these matters each day. Remember, we are always a work in progress, everything is a journey, and creating balance will take time and conscious intention.

Take a little stroll and see what you connect with by following the Chakra flow, follow the directions above.

There is nothing quite like the comfort of an inviting smell that soothes the soul. Using aromatherapy in your space, on your body, as healing remedies, as cleaning supplies, and cooking with herbs and spices can have the power to change the flow of our mood, thoughts, and body chemistry. One of our favorite things to kick off the day with is fresh baked apples. Simply slice some fresh apples and throw them in a pan with a little coconut oil and cinnamon. There is no need to buy these pre-made. It is better for the wallet and the body to make it fresh. It will take 5 minutes to prep if you cut with a knife and 1 minute if you have an apple slicer, and about 10 minutes on the stove-top until they are ready to heat. Cover them 1st, so the steam inside the pan will help them soften, then remove the top once they start getting a little gooey.

Everything has a natural sleep-wake cycle; plants, animals, humans, and the Earth as a whole. Our mind and body has a natural beat it wants to follow. We can sometimes tame it otherwise or resist the natural energy urges, but it is really important to listen to the beats of when your body needs sleep and when it needs to get moving. Healthy sleeping habits are a vital root of all wellness. We will be rooting into this quite a bit, but the thought of this post is to: listen to your body the best you can. As busy bees we often turn to caffeine and etc to keep us going, but sometimes we need to re-evaluate the supply and demand of our energy.

Core Care: playing with clay or play-dough is not only a great creative activity, but a great method for stress relief and self care. Getting our hands crafting reminds us we are the co-creators of life and can work to shape the things in our life. It helps us get back to the roots of discovery and development. These are concepts we are never too old for. Creative play is valuable time and constructive opportunity for wellness.

Sometimes when we are looking at others’ grass it is a sub-conscious method for avoiding our own or if we are always so busy planning our future, then sometimes we are missing out on what is happening in our present, in our life. Sometimes looking at others’ grass or the grass of the future can be a positive means for gathering inspiration, setting goals, or analyzing the human condition. However, like we talk about throughout the root and flow lessons, it is all about the power of the intentions. If the intentions are from negative origins, even if from a sub-conscious / unaware level, then the grass will always be unattainable or unmanageable; always a problem. If having “green grass” is about meeting the status quo, appearances, or in the nature of seeking validation, then the whole gift and experience of having grass is lost. Grass is like life; it goes through cycles, it is always a work in progress, it takes a lot of work and patience, it can awaken the senses or trigger body reactions, etc. Sometimes the grass can be out of control and sometimes it is manageable and pleasing or sometimes the ground is dry and the grass is barely holding up. Honor your grass. It may not be in the condition you wish for it to be, but remember it is a work in progress. Others may not appreciate your grass or understand what you have done / are doing to honor your grass, but so long as it is a mindful part of your journey, then this is what matters. Be present. Keep working towards your goals. Be your own Advocate. “Be your own kind of beautiful”! Whether the grass is tall, small, green, dry, etc. honor it the best you can.

Since, we are in still in the “prep phases” of the Root and Flow posts, this session is a simple note: always keep dark chocolate chips in the house. There are many perks to dark chocolate and there are many recipes to come!

As we always talk about with the nature journal, everything that crosses our path in nature has a potential message through symbolism, the power of perception, or a connection to energy. It is a matter of being fully present, appreciating the value in every little thing, and creating the time for mindful moments and feeling the vibes. Whether it is a small feather, brief encounter with an animal, random conversation, or connection to the environment around you, it has meaning. Traveling to a neighboring town, across the state, or across the globe can help expand the connections and view. The energy all around us helps us better understand the energy within us.

Meditation theme: Life is full of mountains. It can be intimidating and overwhelming, but majestic, beautiful, and absolutely worth the climb. Every step is a step closer to a better understanding of life and self. Today, whether literally taking a hike or meditating while visualizing a mountain. Think about the steps you have taken in life; it is not a flat or completely forward path. The journey is often winding. Sometimes it may seem like we are going down the mountain when we are trying to go up, but sometimes we have to go down to get across certain elements before we can start the path upward again.

Full moons are the opportunity to manifest. It is a time when vibes are potent. Life naturally feels more extrovert, fast-paced, and in full-force during this time. Things can come to fruition at this time or a milestone can be reached. This does not mean everything will be positive. Life is a combination of the negative and positive. All that unfolds brings more to light. Our actions and reactions are up to the power of perception. When we better understand the energy around and within us, we better understand how to work with it. Otherwise, the chaos of energy can be even more confusing and frustrating. This full moon is Sagittarius, use the graphic below as a brief guide on the flowing energy.

Wake up with good vibes by creating a little extra time to have a breakfast picnic with the sunrise. Life is short. Days fly by. If this is not something you can do on a work day, consider trying it on a day off or take a vacation day to have a little “stay-cation”. Sometimes a day at home dedicated to creating good vibes is what the doctor ordered; it can be the best medicine. Make sure it is not a day for chores, errands, etc; it is a day for the whole family to create whole wellness, however, for this to work, there has to be a discussion of pre-set boundaries, examples: take a deep breath and let the stress be for a day - do not pick fights with one another or bring up subjects that trigger stress, etc. Life can be simple when we focus on the simplicity of happiness; what truly matters most in life. There are always things to be stressed about and there are times to conquer and resolve it, but there has to be stress-free zones and times, otherwise, it invades every part of life and wellness. It is up to us to choose how and when we deal with all the weights and stress of life.

Planting and working in a garden can be empowering and enlightening. Digging in the dirt can help dig through thoughts. Watering the garden by hand can help to connect with energy and inspire it to flow. Whether the garden succeeds or not, it is about the journey and the experience. Every moment is an opportunity to learn more about life and self.

Whether you are a Cancer sign or not, it is important to understand the energy flowing through Cancer season. Understanding the energy around us helps us better connect to the energy of others and the energy within us. You may find others or yourself more sensitive or moody during this time. Maybe, you are having more deep thoughts or conversations than normal. Maybe your intuition is stronger. Maybe you are enjoying connecting with water or are craving to be around water. All of these are traits of Cancer energy. Welcome to Cancer Season! Get to know a little more about it with the graphic below.

Use the graphic to learn a little more about Cancer vibes, mantras, and crystals.

Today’s meditation focus: Water

Cancers are water signs. Whether you meditate while hydrating, walk to the water to meditate, sit in a bath, shower, or simply visualize water or waves, reflect on the power and energy of water today.

You may hear a lot about rainbow foods or how your plate should be colorful. The natural colors of food are indicators of the properties; vitamins and minerals that it contains. As we have been discussing, Chakras are energy, food is energy. Colors have meaning. The colors of our food can help us connect with the energy of our Chakras. This is simply a thought for the day. Activity: start looking at your meals and reflecting on how colorful it is. If it is lacking color, then try to be more mindful of creating meals with more NATURAL color. Remember portion is everything! Sometimes a potent serving can be a variety of small ingredients, example: nuts, berries, etc.

Today’s activity: think about roots and rhythms of life that naturally make you feel more charged and energized about life. Maybe it’s a peach smoothie, the smell of cinnamon, walking at sunrise, dancing, or 5 minute exercises throughout the day. Start setting intentions to making more of this happen. “Do more of what makes you happy!”

Something old can become something new! Our recycling lessons are all about opening the mind to create creative instincts on how to make good use of the items we have lying around or frequently go through. Recycling is important for decluttering the home and Earth, but sometimes items can serve another purpose. This activity is to use your egg crates as paint trays. If you are not a big paint fan, brainstorm other ways you can use the egg crate and feel free to share your creative instincts with #dailyroots @rootinforyourlife.

To make sure you know what our Wine & Root concept is, be sure to check it out: here

Tonight’s theme is: The World is your Oyster

We are away on vacation, woohoo! We realized just the two of us had not been away in 8 years!! Yowza!!! Time flies when you’re having fun and/or trying to survive the chaos. We got away from our routine and responsibilities at times, but time off in a military lifestyle was rare, so what time we got, we were always trying to squeeze in visits with the ones we love. We also had a whole lot of life going on, much of it very challenging, which you can explore in our upcoming Seeds of our Soul posts. In those times, we did our best to try to enjoy our moments at home by finding ways to create the magic of happiness in the seconds we could. Vacation and happiness is a state of mind. When you are happy at home, you are okay not going away. Again, life was going through many brutal challenges, but I am grateful to have a partner who was willing to fight the currents and work to find ways to Calm the Sea within. We love to travel, but in those years, each day was an adventure, so going away was not a must. When we did get away, it was either with work or a bucket list of making connections with loved ones. All were great adventures and opportunities. However, after surviving many, many things the last several years, we felt it was time to dedicate a long weekend to just the two of us. Getting back to this root, made us realize how and why time away from home without agendas is soooooooo important. No matter how much you are able to create happiness at home or soak it up while on other adventures. We have always loved soaking up all we can from the diversity of life experiences, but dedicating a vacation to the self-care of simply being together off the grid and in an unfamiliar setting reminds you of how the world can be your oyster. It replenishes you with strength, inspiration, and curiosity.

Relationships take work! Having a natural destiny and chemistry can open the door, but forging the path requires a lot of decision-making and united effort. It must be a partnership above all. Sometimes creating the balance is the hardest part. Having too many expectations can create too much tension and pressure, but settling and accepting things that are not okay with you is not good either. The most important concept of a functional relationship is to be able to openly, honestly, calmly, and respectfully be able to communicate. This creates the opportunity to steadily revise your life map together. Activity: Today, we are not creating a map, but an Oyster Bucket List. “The World is your Oyster!” Like above, it is important not too make expectations too high, but not to settle either. Create a bucket list that feels realistic. To do this, the key is to keep in mind: life changes. Therefore, you may have to revise your goals or your timeline every so often. It is also important to not overwhelm yourself or one another. Therefore, the way this works is each person writes one goal in a section. First, agree upon a timeline and a scope for the goal. Decide if it is something big or small and if you would like to accomplish it within a few weeks, months, or years. To make sure you both are on the same page and create a flow and synchronicity decide if your oyster sheet is to complete all the goals on the sheet within a month or a year. This will help you choose the type of goals. If it is something you want to do within the month, then your goals may be more short-term, like; eating healthier meals together, having a date night once a week, etc. If it is for a year, then your goals may be a little higher in expectation, like; going on a vacation, finding a new hobby you both enjoy, resolving a relationship issue, etc. If this is something you choose to do for the month, then this may be something you want to do each month for the year. Goal setting as a couple is very important and not a one time thing. It is a daily process of navigating life as a partnership. When you are ready to do the activity, each person should write one goal in a section. Save your sheet in a binder or put up on a bulletin board. Once you accomplish the goal, color in the section and write a new goal in another section, and keep doing this process for as long as you wish.

Chakras create bridges to the energy within our mind, body, and spirit. Because everything is energy and has layers of properties, Chakras are not only within us, but in all living things. The alignment of our Chakras determines how stable our bridge to the outside world is. We cannot control the energy of the world, but we can work on stabilizing the energy within us. Doing so strengthens the foundation of our well-being and our access to the bridges of the world. To learn more about Chakra Work, keep tabs on all Root & Flow Lessons and check out the Chakra page: here .

Theme of this month has been: #mood

We started out in Gemini season and rolled into Cancer season mid-month; both can be personality types of quick-shifting moods. They are both known for their layers of moods and thoughts. June is a great month to vibe with the deeper thoughts and learning new ways to express such. Gemini inspires our wanderlust and communication. Cancer moves us to be closer to water and the flow of vibes. If you did not get chance to explore these vibes this month, it is not too late; we will still be in Cancer season the first part of July. For Gemini vibes you can look back on past lessons to get a better understanding of Gemini. If you are still feeling the wanderlusty vibes, you can still have an adventure, whether near or far. Sometimes life is all about what we create and how we look at things.