I thought my personal wellness journey was well under way. I was eating organic food, regularly practicing yoga, and using more natural cosmetics; except for one dirty little secret- I was secretly using antiperspirant.

Terrified of making the switch from my trusted chemical laden antiperspirant to the au-natural alternative; I feared that it wouldn’t work and my image conscious self would sweat and stink all day long.

I came to my wellness crossroad when a colleague of mine at Saje encouraged me to try one of our natural deodorants. In full transparency she warned me that, “For the first week or so, you might have moments that require a second application. Be patient. The toxins that have been trapped from the antiperspirants are being cleansed from your body.” It’s now been four weeks and I am happy to report that my body has detoxed and is now in a state of self regulated glory.

So what is the difference be natural deodorant and antiperspirant?

Made up of mineral salts diluted in purified water and a blend of essential oils, natural deodorant safely eliminates odour and excessive dryness without any risk of clogging pores or staining clothes. What is so cool is that the salts actually prevent the bacteria that cause the odour. The essential oils support hormonal balance and the detoxing process in your lymph glands. There are no parabens, synthetic ingredients or other hormone disrupting fragrances. It’s the purest of pure. Just the way nature intended.

Antiperspirant on the other hand, is concerning because it contains active ingredients like aluminum chlorhydrate and aluminum zirconium which are compounds that temporarily block the sweat ducts and prevent the body from perspiring. Essentially, it prevents the body from self regulating and cleansing bodily toxins. When toxins are trapped inside, they find their way into the lymph nodes, where they concentrate and contribute to the changes in cell structure, which can lead to cancer.

I’m certainly not a scientist, but I do know that the daily application of antiperspirant on our tender skin can only be doing unnecessary bodily harm.

This spring, detox your beauty regime by ditching your drugstore antiperspirant in favour of a natural deodorant. Your body will thank you.

Hi, I’m Emily, and I’m addicted to parties. The serial entertainer in me is always looking for a good excuse to host a gathering where my friends and family can be together under one roof.

This weekend is no different- well- the friends coming together part will be the same – but this time there will be more meaning behind our get-together. This Saturday, March 23^rd starting at 8:30pm is Earth Hour and it’s the perfect excuse to host a candlelight dinner party and celebrate our brilliant Earth.

Earth Hour is a global movement that is more than a ‘lights out’ campaign. The one-hour event is the single, largest, symbolic mass participation event in the world. Born out of hope that we can inspire others to take action on climate change, it symbolizes an international display of concern to save our environment.

Earth Hour encourages us all to see things in a new light, and nothing says ‘Earth Hour’ more than a house full of candles. It not only creates the warm ambience, it also smells delicious too.  In addition to the naturally glowing ambience provided by candles, why not take it a step further and make the dinner and drinks Earth Hour friendly too. How about a dinner party where the food and wine is as good for the planet as it is for you?  We all know that the simple act of growing our food can have massive impact on the earth, and we know that simple actions can make a big, positive difference for our people and planet.

 One thing is for sure, your candlelight dinner is sure to inspire your friends and family to make simple changes in their lives in honour of the Earth.This weekend, turn off the lights and celebrate Earth Hour by seeing things in a new light.

Inspired to pick up a few candles for this Saturday’s Earth Hour?  Try these 100% natural and recycled glass candles.

Wellness and caring for our health is an act of self-love and for some, this requires a shift in perspective.  In our society, putting oneself first is often frowned upon.  It is considered selfish, which has negative connotations.  In reality, how can we go out into the world to be the best we can be and do the best we can do without putting ourselves first?

Part of being the best we can be is by doing what we can to support ourselves.  While many outside factors contribute to wellness, we can reinforce our inner strength by making choices that support our wellness, so that in turn, we can be available not just for ourselves but for others too.  One of my favorite analogies on this topic is the oxygen mask used in the case of an emergency on an airplane.  In order to care for others, we must be able to breathe, to care for our own basic needs.  When the oxygen mask is fastened and we are breathing, we can then help others.  One of the best parts of being on the Saje team is that I am encouraged to care for my wellness.

It is tough to think of devoting time to ourselves in this busy busy busy society we live in.  However, if we can see this time, this devotion, this self-love as a basic need instead of a selfish act, we are one step closer to achieving wellness.

Having used Saje products for about a decade, I know how powerful these remedies and products are.  I also know that they are incredibly easy to use via topical application.  Your body is uniquely yours so your wellness is uniquely yours.  Whether you wish to boost your immune system using Immune or Super Detox, improve the air quality in your home with a diffuser blend such as Rainforest or nourish and protect your skin from pollutants with Rose Repair, it is up to you.

Whatever your health goals are, I encourage you to incorporate essential oils into your daily regimen.  They can support you on a multitude of levels and using them is an act of self-love for a variety of reasons.  We spend far too much time in sickness and dis-ease because we have been taught that it is virtuous to be selfless.   Over the long-term, no one gains from this.  The nearer you are to optimum wellness and the less time you spend in sickness and dis-ease, the more likely you are to notice how much more time you have in your life.

Giving yourself more time is a truly precious gift, an act of self-love that allows you the space to focus on your dreams and goals.

What begins as an act of self-love can transform your life to touch others as it allows you to be connected with your authentic self, to do more good in the world and to be the best that you can be.

This body will carry you for the rest of your life so why not function at optimum health?  Why not love and nourish the body you have?

Choose wellness.  It truly is an act of self-love.

Most of us grew up with chemicals.  Everything from the dish soap in our kitchens, to the spray-on leather protectors, to scented body lotions…they all were concoctions of potent synthetic chemical agents.  Then the green revolution happened, and we all woke up to the fact that we were unknowingly housing all these bottles and cans that were harmful to our health and environment.  I remember feeling overwhelmed, not knowing quite where to start.  So I resolved that I would make the transition to clean living a gradual and organic one.

STEP 1: GETTING TO KNOW THE PRODUCTS AT HOME

I started to become aware of what was in my cupboards and countertops.  So I traded my aluminum-laden deodorant for a mineral salt-based one.  When my laundry detergent ran out, I made sure to pick out a sulfate-free substitute.  I stopped wearing synthetic perfume altogether, even though I so loved my Chanel Chance.  Dish soap – green.  Shampoo – clean.  Lipstick.  Toothpaste.  You all know the drill.

STEP 2: LEARNING ABOUT INGREDIENTS

Soon I was able to discern what was safe (and what was not) on ingredients lists.  I learned to identify the big, bad words: parabens, phenols, petroleum and yes – the all-mysterious parfum.

While I taught myself about the harmful agents, I inadvertently also learned about natural alternatives, such as essential oils instead of synthetic scents, or natural dyes in the place of chemical colouring agents.

STEP 3: STRIKING A BALANCE

Bit by bit, I’ve worked towards creating a chemical-free home, at a pace I feel is right for me.  Early on I decided to give myself lots of time and flexibility while I made my home a cleaner space.  This decision has made the journey a whole lot more fun: no guilt trips or fanaticism.  Making changes here and there, observing and celebrating the positive health effects, and then repeating that process!

Sometimes people ask me about these choices, about whether I can actually see and notice a difference in my life.  Yes, I absolutely feel better, and I have the peace of mind of knowing that I am not volunteering myself for cancer by exposing my body to toxic agents at home.  But it’s far more complex and exciting: I’ve taught my body to return to its natural sensitivity.  Clean living has found its way into all areas of my life – from the food I consume, to the company I keep, to the lifestyle choices I make.

This return to natural intelligence is pretty exciting: I’m always, always amazed by how much my body knows how to heal itself.  I just have to create a clean environment for it and voila!  I would never have guessed that the secret behind feeling good was so simple.

Kris Carr discovered health, wellness, energy and vitality the way people typically do: by getting it wrong. At 31, she was living fast and hard as a “party hound and stress slut” until the day piercing abdominal cramps revealed she had a rare type of inoperable liver cancer.

But Carr’s battleship, or at least her attitude, is unsinkable. Thanks to her wicked sense of humor she kept her spirits up, shifted into research mode and switched to an anti-inflammatory vegetarian diet that incorporated loads of raw, fresh green foods to rebalance her body’s pH. Aside from full remission from a disease the doctors called terminal, she came out the other side feeling joy, lightness and renewed “sexy spark”.

Now her mission as a Wellness Warrior is to share her secrets with us.

Film footage of her treatments became the acclaimed TLC documentary Crazy, Sexy Cancer and she later married the film’s editor. Now she’s a motivational speaker, blogger, and New York Times bestselling author.

Her book Crazy, Sexy Diet is a charming and comprehensive manual on how to get your “god pod” into an optimum state of bliss. Aside from great recipes and fascinating scientific nuggets, the book includes a 21-day adventure cleanse.

It’s introduced by Dr. Dean Ornish, who says, “I love Kris Carr, she glows…. Consider this not a diet book, but a guide to living fully; not a meal plan, but a road map to self-empowerment, adorned with Kris’s unrivalled enthusiasm, humor, and compassion. By the time you finish this book, there’s a good chance you may love Kris, too.”

It’s a brilliant move to include brainfood from Ornish and 14 other superstar guest authors and doctors (and 40+ more on her website, including Vancouver’s own raw vegan Ultra Marathon champ Brendan Brazier.) These expert witnesses widen the breadth of knowledge and let us experience their expertise in their own words, which adds a nice variety to the book’s distinctive tone.

Her cheeky writing style makes this such a fun read that you forget your learning the secrets to vibrant health. Chapter 5, Go With Your Gut, starts with a warning that “we’re gonna talk shit” and follows with her twist on, you are what you eat: “…you’re also what you don’t poop. If you’re haluin’ around garbage in your cells, tissues, or colon, you’re literally waste-ing your vibrant potential.”

Not only does Carr teach you how to “dine with the divine” but covers sexy sleep, supplements, skin care, essential oils, meditation, the economics of eating animals, and how to deal with negative nellies who are threatened by your new-found success.

Get your keys to this very vivacious wellness Carr at http://crazysexylife.com/ – or pick up Crazy, Sexy Diet. Chances are good you won’t be able to put it down.

Do you celebrate your mastery and finesse?  Are you intimate with a posse? Do you rally and converse with your various parts (i.e., feelings, emotions, actions, words), regardless of their positivity? Recognizing your gifts, cultivating relationships and collaborating with all aspects of your human nature are just a few of the effective Tantric teachings that have invited more humour, dharma and love into my life.

It takes a lot of courage for me to remember and relish my unique flair. Once as I started to immerse my awareness and actions around my gifts, conditions in my life began to align. Life didn’t seem so edgy, or shall I say I didn’t seem so edgy? It was as if I stepped into my flow (i.e, dharma). Unfortunately I’m not in this flow 100% of the time…there are moments when I’m in the mud. But now I have the knowing to feel and see when I’m misaligned, and then I take steps to meet the flow. Whether they are baby steps or T-Rex steps I move toward my dharma.

It took a load of strength (and continuously demands a balance of sensitivity and muscle energy) to cultivate and sustain community (e.g., family, kula, sangha, posse, etc). Community has not only been shown to clinically improve health and well-being (Ornish, 2007), but historically and today lineages and families around the globe utilize relationships as a means to receive support and harness more potency. It is within these relationships that we can see the reflection of ourselves – all parts of ourselves. Over time I’ve learned to have a good laugh at certain aspects of myself, but simultaneously I’ve been overwhelmed by the compelling impact of the Tantric practices that are now part of my repertoire (e.g., visualizations, japa, meditation). These practices have invited me to unfold parts of myself that have never been revealed and transform patterns that don’t necessarily serve myself or those around me.

As my teacher Dr. Douglas Brooks reminds me, there is nothing more divine than to dwell deeply in the elements of nature, society and humanity, and that our flawed and vulnerable human qualities are nothing more nor less than the Divine being revealed (Srividyalaya, 2011). These teachings not only invite me to love myself more, but also to love others.

Tantra is a Sanskrit word translated in some texts to be ‘doctrine’,‘theory’ or ‘system of practice’ (Wallis, 2012). Tantra has also been associated with definitions such as ‘loom’  or ‘weave’. According to Wallis, the Tantrik practice is learned from someone aged in the tradition and who has received not only blessings from the practices but has also experienced some of the snags. Southern and Northern India embrace different Tantric traditions, scriptures and practices. To define Tantric Yoga in a brief statement like this would only diminish the auspiciousness of this beautiful tradition. Instead, I invite you to explore and learn more about the accessibility and practicality of this yoga tradition. Visit http://rajanaka.com/  OR http://mattamayura.org.

For me, Tantric Yoga is a remembrance that my embodiment as a human is a playful, intentional and powerful experience that requires collaboration, cooperation, and cohabitation with conditions, circumstances and people surrounding me. The more I embark on the Tantrik path, the more I realize that there is so much more to discover about myself and everyone around me. Due to the vastness within myself and others, I’m immensely curious to explore and discover life.

Douglas Brooks (2011): Srividyalaya, Ganesha Puja, Crossing the Threshold of Tantric Understanding and Practice.

Wallis, Christopher Hareesh, (2012): Tantra Illuminated, Anusara Press, Texas, USA.

Ornish, Dean (2007): The Spectrum, Ballantine Books, NY, NY.

Do you believe in Valentine’s Day?

This is a question I’ve heard many times before, have always known my answer but never known why.  Yes, I always say, and last night I realized why…

Whilst twisted up in my least favourite yoga pose, our teacher told us to smile and open our hearts.  Easy for you to say, I wanted to retort.  Then she continued.  What she said was very simple and shut my ego up right away. “If we’re not here to give love and receive love, what are we doing?” Well that’s the best question I’ve been asked in a long time, and that question turned into my reason for believing very wholeheartedly in Valentine’s Day.

“It’s a event that Hallmark made up!” or “men should be nice to women every day of the year!”  These are the two common phrases that I hear in the “down with Valentine’s Day” argument.  Are they valid? Absolutely!  Both of those statements are true.  But I say, so what?  Why not use today as a reminder or excuse to give extra love?  I’ve never seen someone receive a Valentine and be mad … I’ve only ever seen smiles.  Studies have shown that smiling releases endorphins, natural painkillers, and serotonin.  Together these three are a natural drug.  Well, who would say no to that?!  Certainly not me.

So I say, soak it all up.  Enjoy giving love and receiving love.

Happy Heart Day!

How to easily improve everything in your life this year…in ONE step!

The New Year arrives in a flash of optimism and a renewed commitment to my best health.  Suddenly it’s February, I’m clicking “Play Next Episode” and having ice cream for dinner.  Hmm.

What happened?  Why is it so fun to break our own rules?  Why is it so tricky to make Resolutions that stick?

If we combine intentions with habit, we can transform our lives beyond recognition.  Resolutions usually come from a soul-desire to improve our lives, but we express them with thoughts and judgments that come from the mind.  Resolving to lose weight or work out more because we ‘should’ doesn’t bring success.

A weight-loss study in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine is very revealing:  Of a group of women ages 30-50, half were asked to focus on the affirmation “I am making these changes for better health.”  The others used the affirmation “I wish I had the body I did when I was 20”,  which is really a negative self-judgment, and the women in this group lost 10-20 lbs less  than the women affirming a message of self-care.

We also LOVE to break our own rules, and will often make a Resolution based on unrealistic expectations simply to sabotage ourselves.  Drastic changes to lifestyle are hard on the system in many ways, from something as basic as being sore after working out a lot after a period of inactivity, all the way to deepening depression when we set ourselves up to fail.  In a study at the University of California at Davis, people who made small, evolutionary changes to their lifestyles experienced 75% greater success than those who made dramatic changes, like completely removing sugar from their diets.  When we deny ourselves comforts (even if those comforts are not great for us), we feel deprived, and this can lead to a feast-or-famine way of thinking and feeling.

What are the top Resolutions?  Weight-loss, better fitness, greater happiness, being ‘greener’,  increased productivity, release from addictions, being kinder to others…these are all worthy goals, so let’s make it simple, and do them all at once with one easy step.  Ready?

100% natural products based on true, medical-grade Essential Oils will effortlessly support healthy changes.  You don’t have to do ANYTHING extra, just switch your synthetic antiperspirant, soap, skin care and lotions to truly 100% natural products.

Weight-loss:  Aromatherapy can be used to reduce cravings, break up stubborn fat, and speed metabolism.  Using Essential Oils also helps us to feel more emotionally balanced so we don’t need as much ‘comfort’ food.

Better fitness:  Using safe, effective natural pain-relievers for sports injuries and workout strain improves the body’s ability to heal and can stimulate production of new muscle tissue.

Happiness:  Many Essential Oil’s have antidepressant actions, and can gently relieve anxiety, grief and low self-esteem while naturally balancing stress levels.  It’s a lot easier to make good choices when we’re feeling good!

Being ‘greener’:  Natural products are better for us and better for the environment!  Using Essential Oil’s in home and body care means we are choosing ethical, sustainable products that smell great and work wonderfully.

Release from addictions:  Aromatherapy is unique in its ability to stimulate the mind and body simultaneously to produce feelings of wellness.  While there are specific products connected to individual addictions, use of natural body care and Aromatherapy is generally detoxifying and rebalancing.

Being kinder to others?  It’s so much easier to keep that Resolution when we’re being kind to ourselves.  Take a look at the products under your kitchen sink and on your bathroom shelves.  Read some ingredients.  Look them up.  Gasp in horror.  Those synthetic chemicals are actively undermining your well-being!  Some of them are xenoestrogens and harm our endocrine balances, causing anxiety and hormonal problems.  Some of them are ‘natural’ parabens derived from petroleum manufacture, linked to many kind s of cancers!

When you choose to go natural, as much as possible, you are saying NO to harmful ingredients found in all aspects of home and body care products.  You’re saying YES to health and happiness this year, and many more to come.

Thanks for reading, as always I welcome your comments, and Happy New Year!

Co-Founders :: Excited!

What inspired you to start One Yoga for the People?

“I was living in Los Angeles and that is where I was first exposed to a donation based yoga model. I wanted a studio that was out of the box and had alternative payment options to make yoga accessible to everybody. I wanted to see change and evolution in our communities and I thought that offering yoga would be a great place to begin seeing that change. I felt that even if I were just serving a few people it would ripple out and impact the larger community.”

What has been the biggest benefit of having yoga in your life?

“There’s so many! One primary benefit is that I feel I’m able to see more beauty because of the practice of yoga. It allows me to have a lens that allows me to see clearly. I feel I’m able to see more beauty in everything around me whether it’s people I don’t know, people that are in my life, in art or in food.“

I’ve heard a lot of opinions on how often one needs to go to yoga, walk me through your opinion.

“Each tradition may tell you different things. Many if not most of my teachers have told me that I should practice every day….whether it is asana, pranayama, meditation or mantra. This I still do. But I feel that people can acknowledge that yoga is so much more than just the Asana. That a lot of it has to do with allowing yourself to drop in to a certain moment in time and that, in and of itself, can be a really strong practice. Don’t get me wrong, practicing Asana 2, 3, 4, 5 times a week or practicing everyday will provide enormous openings in the mind, body and heart, but there are so many people that can’t practice everyday and so I find that they get overwhelmed by the idea of practicing everyday and give up all together. That’s not what I want. I want people to acknowledge that if you can only make it to the mat 1-day a week and practice on really connecting to your breath and to each moment…then that is an amazing yoga practice.

I had one of my teachers say to me, “An advanced yoga practice is one where you can sustain your awareness on your breath and your body for an extended period of time.” There are students who flow through an Asana practice but they don’t really have sustained awareness— so is that advanced? I don’t know. There are teachers that may beg to differ but I have a hard time telling a student that in order for them to advance they must be on the mat practicing 5 or 6 times a week or some other arbitrary amount. Obviously the more you can get to the mat the better and you’ll see huge wide openings in the body, mind, heart and energetically. When we open to receive and unite mind and body, then there is an energetic alignment which allows a cultivation of joy that really comes from the heart.”

How long have you been doing yoga and what brought you to start?

“I started gymnastics at a very young age and continued through my adolescence. I started running marathons and triathlons after my undergraduate degree. I took several Pranayama practices and Restorative classes to balance what I was doing and that’s where I found some crazy openings with my running and gymnastic practice. After that I started practicing Asana. So I am going on 15 years of practicing yoga.”

Where is your favorite outdoor place to practice Yoga?

“Bowen Island beaches are phenomenal— so beautiful. But if I’m on top of Lions Peak, that’s really mind blowing! However I have two kids and hiking with a 6 month old and a 3 year old isn’t as accessible so I find we’re at the beach a lot more, even if it’s the winter, that’s our hike!”

For someone starting out at Yoga, what are your words of advise?

“The more intimacy you can cultivate with your breath the more you will be able to drop into you and everything around you. I really think that breath is the primary connection to you, your practice and everything around you.”