Using crystals is a great way to call in energy that you want. There are many ways you could use these cryst]]>

Using crystals is a great way to call in energy that you want. There are many ways you could use these crystals to manifest. Simply place crystals in areas you frequent go, like the bathroom bedroom, or your car, great option. Arranging crystals on your altar is also a powerful place as using them during meditation is often a transformational way to call in whatever you are manifesting. If you are choosing to meditate with the intention of cultivating more courage and confidence, then you may want to hold onto these crystals with your hands. You may want to hold a crystal with your left hand if you are looking to call in and receive courage or enhanced self-confidence as this is your receptive (feminine) side. If you are looking to use your masculine energy, manifesting your confidence and courage through action, then perhaps you may benefit from holding the crystal in your right hand which is your giving (masculine) side. You may want to keep these crystals on you as well. You can wear them in jewelry, or you can have them in your bag or purse. If you are feeling like you are lacking confidence or courage to take charge of your life, then you may want to consider using some of these crystals mentioned below.

• Aquamarine is believed to be a stone that provides courage and fortitude. It cultivates peace, calmness, and relaxation. It is a great tool to release anxiety and replace it with calm confidence. It is said to allow you to come into your best self by fostering a sense of self-responsibility.

• Blue ace ate is said to provide courage, especially to those who may identify as shy. It creates space for creativity to manifest and allows for self-expression. It is great for you to manifest in your life by actively speaking your truth confidently. That is because it is said to open the throat chakra and allow for you to find your voice.
• Many people often use bronzite for protection. It is said to clear confusion and decision making and assists the user to make better life choices. It can also help with cultivating the courage to keep those choices and boundaries in place in the face of difficulties. 
• Hematite is a stone believed to ground and protect its users. It is said to give vitality and strength to those who are near it. Concentration and focus can be enhanced while boosting self-esteem and resilience. It is known to help us have better willpower and overall enhanced confidence.

• Tiger eye is most known for its power in manifesting money. It is also said to bring confidence, clear thinking, courage, and good luck. It helps to transmute anxiety and fear into practicality and logic. 

Add any of these crystals to your practice to create your powerful manifesting capability. See which ones you are most drawn to and go from there! Meditation can be done simply by sitting in a comfortable seated position, wearing comfortable clothing – even pajama shorts or fleece leggings. The most important thing is you are comfortable. Set your intention of manifestation. Let go and breathe.

Here are some meditation steps to cultivate faith (Śraddhā in Sanskrit) as the perfect cure.

This meditation is from my favorite yogi Kino Macgregor. It describes the heart as a garden and how to plant seeds of faith and worthiness so t]]>

Here are some meditation steps to cultivate faith (Śraddhā in Sanskrit) as the perfect cure.

This meditation is from my favorite yogi Kino Macgregor. It describes the heart as a garden and how to plant seeds of faith and worthiness so that they will blossom and bring steadfast faith into your life.

Preparation: Grab your favorite healing items like inspiring crystals, mala beads,  etc. Carefully light your incense or put on some calm meditation flute track or nature soundtrack to set the mood and cue the mind to relax and turn. 

Instructions:
Come to a comfortable seated position and allow your eyes to close. You can sit on a  yoga mat, a meditation pillow, or on the couch. Bring your palms together at your heart and take a deep breath to settle into the moment. 

Chant out mantra “Om” As is an audible vibrating sound: “OOOOOOOOOOOmmmmmmm” This is a healing chant for the entire mind, body, and spirit. 

Step 1: The Breath Awareness

Now, slowly bring your hands to your knees. Start off with bringing your attention to the nostrils and along the upper lip. 

Bring your mind into the simple awareness, sensations, and qualities of the breath. Focus on every detail. Focus the mind in a pure state of awareness. Cultivate equanimity, allowing the breath to be exactly what it is neither good nor bad. Simply accept the breath for what it is. To help cultivate an inner experience drop your mind into the breath. 

Step 2: Count the Breath

Now, begin counting down from 10 like so:  “10 in, 10 . 9 i, 9 . 8 , 8 . 7 , 7 ct.”

This counting backward technique helps use the mind to drop into a more concentrated state. Count the breath anytime you need extra help to bring your attention into a calm inward focus.
The meditative mind is a concentrated very awake state. Redirecting the objects of the sense organs into the inner world. Instead of focusing on the world that’s outside, focus inside. 

Step 3: The Spiritual Heart

Pay attention to the spiritual heart located in the space behind the sternum. Feel with the inner body. See with inner sight. Hear with inner ears. Allow yourself to tune into the spiritual heart to the pathway to the true light of ultimate and final surrender. 

Ask yourself what you do, let go of to finally be ready to say yes to the spiritual heart and total surrender. 

Down in the garden of your heart, plant seeds of faith (Śraddhā in Sanskrit). Allow to have belief lant in your heart. 

1. Believe in yourself:

“I believe in me”
”I believe that I am worthy”

2.Repeat to yourself multiple times:

“I believe I am worthy”
You don’t need to do anything to be worthy. You simply are. All you need to do is believe in it. “I believe I am worthy” 

Step 4: Take Root

Now with confidence that you are worthy to let the seed of faith take root in your heart. Say to yourself:

“I have been created and destined to a purpose. I have a path that is uniquely mine”

In the garden of your heart feel a warm white light. This light burns and destroys anything holding you back from peace and happiness. Forgive the world around you and any mistakes you may have made. 

Step 5: Allow the light to shine out from your heart

Feel emanating light, peace, and love feels like as you sit there.
Take another big long breath. 

Step 6: Chant “Ooooommm”

Bring your hands together and finish the meditation with another “Om” Slowly open your eyes and enjoy the rest of your day with this heart-centered happiness growing in the garden of your heart and attracting goodness into your life!

If you engage in a yoga activity, then probably you will]]>

If you engage in a yoga activity, then probably you will need comfortable yoga Capris. Regardless of the choice you make, you’re requested to wear the Capris that make you feel relaxed and honored. You can set aside your capris with a variety of patterns, styles, and cuts that will help you to be flexible and active on the one hand, and keep you in fashion, on the other hand. With so many models and brands, finding the perfect yoga pants will be a chore if you’re new. Luckily, this article will help you with a handy guide in order to know the purpose of wearing them and will help you as well to evaluate a perfect pair of capris properly.

Picking Out The Best Yoga Pants For A Flexible Movement

You will come across a variety of capris in a yoga environment. However, the challenging task is to pick up the right one out of the bunch of yoga Capri pants. Nevertheless, you should keep in mind that, the perfect yoga pants you choose should provide you with enough warmth for your body. Capris with an elastic waist harmonized with the body shape are most popular among both men and women. Our suggestion is for women to choose capris with a foldable waist in order to have a super comfy and great look. To gain some knowledge of this topic, let’s go through a few basic steps that you should keep in mind.

• Determine The Style Of The Capris – If you’re a yoga pant lover, then we would like to mention a few styles you will enjoy the most. There are variations like Capri pants with a shorter leg, stretchable-cotton pants, and so on. For the first step, let’s pick out a style of Capri pants you’re familiar with, or you’re already using. It can be high-quality fabric capris to give you a great look or sweat-resistant fabric capris to prevent you from sweat.
• Determine The Length Of The Capris – It is an essential fact to choose capris with a proper length to have better comfort and for successful functioning. Generally, it should end up near the calf muscle. Remember to select capris that don’t bunch and have a good stretching ability to support the size of your thighs. 
• Choose A Proper Type Of Stretch – Do you have any idea why you should choose capris instead of other yoga pants? It is simply because of the comfort they bring. This comfort is provided by the fabrics used which incorporate the stretchy threads. Most fabrics will have a 2-way stretch, but we suggest you select a pant with 4-way stretch to have a better comfort.
• Select The Waist You Like – You can find a collection of capris with various waist types on the market. Most of them are different depending on the types of bands like elastic bands or drawstrings. Therefore, it is highly crucial to select the proper waist to support all yoga positions.

Choosing better capris to be more flexible in yoga is not possible without considering these simple tips. Thus, we hope this article will help you immensely to choose the best capris to support all your yoga positions.

Yoga Drishti is a Sanskrit word that means view or sight. It is a directed focus or gaze performed during the practice of meditation or an asana (pose). This technique helps develop concentration and better focus on the world overall.&n]]>

Yoga Drishti is a Sanskrit word that means view or sight. It is a directed focus or gaze performed during the practice of meditation or an asana (pose). This technique helps develop concentration and better focus on the world overall. 

It is essential to use a proper sight with our asanas because, without it, we can lose our concentration and balance. Consider the pose of a Half Moon, if we look at our feet instead of just beyond, our eyes have a way of pulling us, and we are more likely to lose our balance and topple over. 

Drishti stems from the Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga method and has been taught to the many practitioners who follow this and other types of yoga. Learning how to control your gaze is a way of controlling your attention; and with each asana that you practice, you can choose one from the nine specific points. 

1. Upward-Facing Dog – Nasagrai Drishti (gaze at the nose tip)
2. Fish Pose – Naitrayohmadya or Broomadhya Drishti (gaze at the third eye)
3. Downward-Facing Dog – Nabi Chakra Drishti (gaze at the navel)
4. Triangle Pose – Hastagrai Drishti (gaze at the hand)
5. Seated Forward Bend – Pahayoragrai Drishti (gaze at the big toes)
6. Seated Spinal Twists – Parsva Drishti (gaze as far as you can in the direction of the twist)
7. Sideways – Parsva Drishti (same as spinal twists)
8. First Movement Of Sun Salutation And Chair Pose – Angusta Ma Dyai Drishti (gaze up at the thumbs) 
9. Warrior Pose I – Urdhva Drishti (gaze into infinity) 

The Purpose

By gazing into one of the Drishti points, it helps aid in your concentration and movement and helps orientate your prana (energy flow). To accomplish this type of view, focus your eyes and attention on one unmoving spot in the distance in front of you (depending on each specific point). Lock your gaze to help you keep your balance. Make sure to steady your breath. 

Outside Of Asanas

Drishti has another meaning, a point of view, which is used outside of the asanas we practice. It can also serve as a metaphor for focussing our consciousness toward a vision of oneness. As a Yogi, we seek to view an inner reality that is not normally visible to us on the spectrum of light. Usually, our vision is limited to what our brains let us see. By using the Drishti technique, we see unity in life, and we are no longer limited to our views. 

Drishti is also used outside of the Ashtanga Vinyasa tradition. A cleansing technique called the technique of Trataka, or candle gazing, is where the eyes are held open until tears form. It has two purposes:

1. The first is to wash the eyes with tears
2. The second, to teach the student to resist the unconscious urge to blink. 

It is important to note that when practicing the technique of Drishti, you must not use a hard gaze on your intended target, but rather a soft gaze. Never gaze so hard that you tense your body and create stiffness in your neck or shoulders as you may cause yourself an injury. 

Until you become more familiar with this type of gaze, feel free to try Bahya (external) gazing points when practicing your asanas. Remember though that they require a soft gaze as well. 

As with many parts of yoga, practice helps greatly in accomplishing your goals. Although this gazing technique can help you greatly with your yoga practice, use it as a tool to eliminate the false visions we so often perceive to be the truth in life and learn to set your vision free. 

Chances are that you have already spent a lot of your precious lifetime in front of a mirror trying on countless tanks, tees, sweatshirts, or whatever it is that you need to complete your yoga wardrobe with, while noticing how some of t]]>

Chances are that you have already spent a lot of your precious lifetime in front of a mirror trying on countless tanks, tees, sweatshirts, or whatever it is that you need to complete your yoga wardrobe with, while noticing how some of the things you try on seem to fit and look a lot better as you pick up different colors. Well, before you go out and debate on which color to choose over which one for that pair of new top and leggings, we here have a few tips on how to figure out what are the colors that will best suit and flatter you.

A color analysis is all about figuring out and learning what colors match you better by taking into account the complexion of your skin as well as your hair and eye colors. Thanks to Carol Jackson’s book Color Me Beautiful this study was simplified by reducing the pairing of these physical characteristics with the seasonal colors belonging to spring, summer, autumn and winter.

Here are the steps that you can take for finally getting to know which are the colors that will help radiate your beauty while on that yoga mat or out there on the streets:

Are you cool or warm?

This is not about whether you are a more preserved or friendly person, but rather about determining the undertone of that defines your looks beyond the apparent tone of your skin. To figure this out more easily simply get two pieces of the same fabric, a golden one and a silver one; then place them one at a time next to the inner side of your arm or wrists or any other part of your body that is rarely exposed to the sun. The fabric that best blends with your skin color will indicate your temperature type: gold will indicate warm whereas silver will indicate cool. If your result was warm, this will mean that you will either belong to a spring or autumn palette and if it was cool, you will be a summer or winter type.

Are you light or dark?

Now take a look at your hair and eyes; are they light or dark? If the pigment of your hair and eyes is dark with a cool undertone you will belong to the winter color palette; if, on the other hand, your hair and eyes pigment is light with a cool undertone you will be a summer type. Dark eyes and hair along with a warm undertone will indicate an autumn type whereas light ayes and hair in conjunction with a warm undertone will mean that you belong to a spring palette.

If you realize that there is a mix of dark and light in some cases, just go with what the dominant one is and always go with your natural colors rather than tans, hair dyes or contact lenses.

What will be the next chia seed]]>

What will be the next chia seed? Goji berry? Kale? Wild Salmon? Spirulina? A truly new food is never branded a superfood. The next big superfood will be, as always, a rediscovered, rebranded, but historically healthy food that, with the help of new positioning, appears as if it has just been discovered in the depths of the rainforest. It will appear out of nowhere. A few influencers will rave about it. Then, in a matter of months, you will be drinking tea infused with it at Starbucks.

All this isn’t to undermine the super-ness of the superfood. Far from it! The superfood needs super positioning because, let’s face it, a lot of times these superfoods are not so super to eat. We still want to eat cleaner, or to appear as if we’re eating cleaner, though. What if we could get in on the next superfood action ahead of the curve? What is there, beyond the kale, goji, and chia? Is there anything we can make our own?

Behold the tiger nut, a health food rebrand you can own. Be the first in your circle to sample, adopt, and evangelize the tiger nut. If you act now, you can ride the tiger nut curve, perhaps buy wholesale bags of tiger nuts to mark up and resell on ebay or Amazon.

Does the tiger nut have what it takes? While it’s tough to guess if a food can make it as a super, a name like tiger suggests hype at the very least. Plus, there are so many reasons to consider the humble tiger nut…

Tiger nuts are definitely not parts poached from baby tigers. Don’t let the name scare you away. The tiger nut is not a nut, and not in anyway related to tigers. It is not part of an animal or meat, but is rather a root vegetable indigenous to parts of Africa and the Mediterranean region. People in these parts of the world have eaten tiger nuts for centuries and the root is in plentiful supply.

A tiger nut two-fer: gluten-free tiger nut flour. Throw a few cups of tiger nuts into a grinder, and now you’ve got the base of gluten and grain free bread. Tiger nut flour is vegan, Paleo-friendly and safe for people with nut allergies because – again – not really a nut, only named after a nut (along with an apex predator, the largest wild cat species on earth).

High in fiber, calcium, iron, magnesium, etc. Like all superfoods, tiger nuts have serious nutrition cred. Their array of crucial nutrients support the digestive system, help you feel full and support weight loss.

Tigernut ¡Horchata! Depending on where you’re from, you may or may not know the joys of the delicious cinnamon-vanilla flavored Mexican/Latin American rice beverage known as horchata. Variations of horchata use almond milk as a base in lieu of rice, but it seems the original recipe of horchata may have included the tiger nut. Horchata is a sweetened, milk-like beverage that goes particularly well with spicy food.

I present to you only a handful of the merits of the tiger nut. Next stop, Dr. Oz.