TURNS OUT I’M ALLERGIC TO MY FAVORITE SHAMPOO!
If you suffer from eczema, you’re familiar with the extreme discomfort that has often made it impossible to sleep. I was convinced that scratching my legs and ankles with a brillo pad would be the only thing that would work. No damage, right? Oatmeal baths and antihistamines help but are a band-aid for the true cause(s). Allergy tests confirmed that I am reactive to products containing 3 different chemical agents – anything with MCI/MI, propolis and neomycin sulfate.
5 WAYS TO CREATE A HOME MEDITATION PRACTICE
Creating a home meditation space provides the opportunity to establish and grow our own personal practice. The numerous benefits of creating a personal space include consistency, personalization and freedom.
Want to try meditation but have no idea how to start?
With the vast amount of information available it can be challenging to figure out where to start. The beauty of meditation is that it can be as simple or as elaborate as you wish; there are no rules and there is no right or correct way to practice meditation.It is called meditation practice because meditating is a continual practice over a life time. Each meditation session is by nature totally different and this is totally normal; our experience will be influenced by daily events, our mood, mental state or distractions, physical energy highs and lows or some type of pain or discomfort. The best approach to meditation is to keep an open mind and refrain from any self-judgement or preconceived ideas about what you believe meditation should look like. The benefits of meditation are cumulative, so simplicity and consistency are the optimal goals of any practice. Keep it simple!
You have the power to alter the effects of stress!
Chronic stress can have emotional, cognitive, physical and behavioural repercussions but with the use of meditation you can learn to alter and control your reactive habits.
A MALA DECONSTRUCTED: each part matters!
There is no doubt about the special feeling of holding a mala in your hands. The cool weight of each mala embodies both the energetic properties of the gemstones and the infused power of your mantra that grows and resonates with every meditation session. The beauty of each gemstone lies in the fact that while similar, no two beads are exactly alike and like human beings, while we are all interconnected to one another we still possess innate qualities that makes us unique.
How is a Mala beneficial for Meditation?
A Mala is a sacred tool traditionally used to count breaths while meditating or the number of times a mantra or prayer is recited. This is a phenomenal way to focus the mind, lower the body’s stress response and induce The Relaxation Response. Meditation is a very powerful practice that has many psychological, physical and spiritual benefits.
What is a Mala?
Many different cultures have contemplative traditions that use prayer beads as a part of their practice and known by many different names such as rosary, misbahah, komboloi, worry beads or Japamala to name only a few. Prayer beads originated from both the Hindu and Buddhist traditions and were originally used by lay people who, often unable to read or write, used beads as a tool to learn, recite and pass on teachings and traditions.
