Wendi’s Magnificent Zen Gardens

 

 

Wendi, from Orange County, has a passion for bringing harmony to individuals. She has always had a passion for gardening, and at a young age, she began to develop her designs into minimalist terrarium creations. This passion has led Wendi to make her creations available for purchase. Zen gardens’ calming effect is due to subliminal messages within the garden itself. Overall, if you are leading a stressed lifestyle, and you would like some serenity and a refreshing touch to your personal space, purchase these handmade zen gardens made by Wendi! You go Wendi! https://www.etsy.com/people/wendiland

Wendi also has a youtube channel where she talks a lot about gardening, plants, and health! Check it out at Youtube.com/Wendiland

Follow these pages for updates on Wendi:

Facebook.com/Wendiland
Instagram.com/itsWendiland

Yoga Pose of the Day: to relieve tension

Pigeon Pose

Stress creates tension in your body, especially the hip area. A way to relieve this is by incorporating Pigeon Pose into your daily routine. It is a pose that we love and hate, challenging yet incredibly liberating at the same time. Be attentive to the many–and sometimes difficult–sensations that arise. The anxiety you may feel in Pigeon is the same anxiety you feel in every-day life. Experiencing these feelings on the mat is a way to connect with the physical and emotions sensations in your body and mind.

 

How to: to enter Pigeon Pose begin in downward facing dog. From downward dog lift your right leg a few inches off the floor behind you and bring your knee towards your right wrist. Then place you right outer shin and knee down. Slide your back leg straight behind you. Press your fingertips in the floor beside your hips and lengthen your spine. To go even deeper, lift up through your belly, elongate your spine, and drape your body forward into a fold.  Keep drawing your right hip crease back to keep your pelvis stays level and stable. With ever inhale come out of the fold a little bit and find more length through your spine. With every exhale fold forward even more. Direct the breath into the hip sockets to relieve the tension. After 5 to 10 breaths come up on an inhale and notice how your hips feel. Lighter? Clearer? Looser?

Take a few minutes every day in Pigeon Pose to open your hips and feel relief both physically and emotionally.

Namaste!

-The Conscious Girls

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is the use of plant extracts to stimulate the brain through scent. Aromatic essential oils are used in candles, lotions, soaps, and other things to help our mood, energy, and health. The essential oils themselves are also great to use to help deal with stress, depression, and fatigue. We recommend dabbing some oil on the temples or on the body before meditating, doing yoga, or going to bed. Below we have listed some aromatic scents and their specific benefits so that next time you shop for a scented candle or bath oil you know what to look for to meet your needs!

Lavender – Calming, relaxing, and helps treat insomnia.

Eucalyptus – Great for headaches and opening up the sinuses if you have congestion.

Lemon – Refreshing, cheering, and promotes positivity if you ever need a pick-me-up!

Peppermint – A minty, energizing scent that enhances alertness and memory. It can also reduce cortisol (a stress hormone) levels!

Jasmine – Has relaxing properties that treat stress and anxiety. Pair a jasmine candle with a yoga or meditation routine to combat the blues.

Vanilla – Comforting and balancing. Use a vanilla-scented candle or bath product to promote restful sleep.

Rose – A sweet, floral aroma that soothes negative emotions such as anger, grief, depression, and stress.

Enjoy!

-The Conscious Girls

Meditation for the Mind

Meditation can be an invaluable tool for creating health, well-being, and personal and spiritual growth. When you first start to meditate you may find it difficult to let go of your inner voice that plagues you with racing thoughts. Guided meditations are a way of focusing the mind on the present rather than demanding perfect silence when the time isn’t right.

The purpose of this guided mindfulness meditation, led by one of our favorite meditation gurus Tara Brach, is to diffuse your busy thoughts and step into the world of your imagination. Being guided allows for an effortlessness that may be difficult to achieve on one’s own.

Happy meditating!

-The Conscious Girls