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I'm all about disconnecting from time to time and getting out into nature, but how about some helpful yoga and meditation apps that let you disconnect while staying on the wifi? As a IT/IS person by day and a yogi/dancer by night I've tried my fair share of "mindful" apps. The following are the ones I find I actually use and don't just take up space! (lol) Best of all these are FREE!  Down Dog Even though I am a yoga instructor, sometimes there's just something about having someone else guide your flow. When I don't want to sequence for myself, I'll pop in my allotted time flow along with the yogi on my phone. My favorite feature? Being able to choose the style of yoga that I'm feeling in that moment (including vinyasa, restorative, or "no flow" --skipping those chaturangas) and the level of practice. I only have the FREE version right now, but be aware there is a purchasable version that lets you adjust more options including the music. PranayamaFree This app is so simple to use! You'll see what looks like a pie chart that slowly fills in based on the length of the inhale and exhale. There are options to "sustain/retain" or hold the breath as part of the pie chart or not. You can increase or decrease the speed as well as adjust the music style. I love that there's a little calendar that will keep track of when you have completed your practices. Meditation This was one of the first meditation apps I downloaded. I love the calming blue color scheme and little inspirational quote when you first start the app. There's a great 7 day beginner course and a "meditation of the day" every day. The daily meditation recycles previously "used" meditations, but you can always take them deeper and longer. Of course you could upgrade and purchase the full version if you want more content.  Om Mantra HD
This one is fairly new for me. I was searching for a meditation/yoga timer so I wouldn't have to keep track of time while I was doing mah thing! This app lets you set timers as low as 1 minute up to 2 hours or no timer at all and the soothing sounds will just keep playing. There are eight different sounds, mostly a version of "OM", with optional rain, wind and sitar noises for each track. I LOVE this app for practicing yin yoga so I can keep track how long I was in a pose, without having to track it. (lol) Since this app is FREE, you will encounter the occasional clickable advertisements to cancel and a banner at the top of the screen now and again. Aware This app has SO MUCH content. I suggest starting with the "Foundation" course, which has several guided meditations. Every day you complete a practice, a new practice will open the next day. I also enjoy the "Ambient Sounds" tool for personal meditation practices. This app also has a breath work tool as well as "master classes"; including managing anxiety, improving focus, and even some tips on sports recovery. I'm a samsung user, so I know all of these apps are available in the Google Play store. I hope you find one or two that will aid your practice. <3 - Jenn Rose (Yoga Photo by Kelly Russo on Unsplash) (Phone Photo by Przemyslaw Marczynski on Unsplash) With Thanksgiving behind us and the holidays just around the corner we're looking at the "Most Wonderful Time of the Year" and also the busiest. While running to holiday parties, visiting family, shopping, baking and everything else added to your regular to-do list your self-care may fall to the way side. So how can we savor all the flavors of the season AND take care of ourselves? Let's jump right into some SIMPLE Self Care ideas for your holidays.  There was a time about two years ago that I didn't use essential oils; now I can't even imagine life without them! I have cut out many over the counter meditations, updated my skin care routines and even added some more DIY self-care into my life because of essential oils. There is a lot of information on the internet about essential oils (usage, mis-usage, questions on things that harm and things that help). There are also a LOT of essential oils out on the market now. Before I jump into my personal experiences let me state... I am not a doctor or medical professional. I do not sell essential oils. I do however use essential oils every day and have been for almost 2 years now. Below I've included some of my favorite oil usages.  Before we dive in to some every day uses, I want to let you know that I use DoTerra essential oils. I have purchased (and been gifted) some essential oils from other sources and found they contain soap and other ingredients all while boasting 100% essence/etc. I'm not saying you should use DoTerra as well, but be mindful and check the ingredients in anything that use on your body.
Now, on to the fun stuff! Tarot used to be a thing that we only saw at renaissance faires or your witchy cousin did at teenage sleep-overs. As so called "woo-woo" practices become more accepted witches and pagans are stepping out of the so called "broom closet" and sharing their secrets. So I guess here's mine... Yes, I practice the tarot. Yes, I burn sage and place candles all over my house. I also meditate, practice yoga and read a lot about nature based religions and the elements. This is a path I have followed for over 15 years and I can only assume I'm going to dive deeper and deeper because it resonates so much with me. What does this mean for you?! More DIY's. More rituals ("woo-woo" or not, that is up to you). More wheel of year and moon cycle inspired content. More daily magic and... Of course a quick tarot guide for spiritual guidance.  What is tarot? (a no B.S. explanation)
Tarot decks are cards that are similar to traditional playing cards (you can also intuitively read those like tarot, without the major arcana). The tarot deck consists of both major and minor arcana. The minor arcana include 4 suits (usually wands, swords, pentacles, and cups) which relate to each of the 4 elements (fire, air, earth, and water respectively). The minor arcana are similar to a traditional deck of cards including a king, queen, page (jack), and numerals. However, the major arcana tell a story based on the Fool's journey toward enlightenment. Pulling a major arcana is like getting a power up in a video game. These cards seem to pack a little extra punch about your current situation/question Autumn is finally here! We're feeling the autumn chill and the leaves are starting to turn up here in central NY. We're also nearing the end of our 30 day Fall Into Wellness Challenge on Instagram and Facebook! All of which got me thinking about reflection; one of our one of the Fall into Wellness journal prompts. With October being the start of the last quarter of the year it's a BIG prompt for reflection. As the wheel of the year turns toward the end of year we start to prep for the holidays and bam! a new year is upon on. Before we jump in, let's dive deep into reflection as the days get shorter and the nights longer.  First up, let's start by taking note of your current situation.
Check in with your routines, your habits and rituals. Take some time to decide what is really working and what isn't. Carrying around that 20 ounce water bottle isn't helping, if you don't refill it, amirite?! As part of our 30 day Fall Into Wellness Challenge (Join us on Instagram or Facebook!) every Friday of our challenge is a prompt for some self love! Fridays are ruled by the planet Venus, which if you follow astrology has to do with love, passion and relationships. Remembering that our relationship with ourself is so important, I thought a little Friday reminder each week of our challenge was a requirement. We spend a lot of time giving to others, but may forget to schedule some time for ourselves. Especially as the kids are heading back to school and summer vacations are winding down, be sure to gift yourself some self love time. My favorite self-love/self-care ritual is spending some time detoxing in my bathtub. ha ha Anyone else?  So for a little inspiration, I thought I would share one of my favorite autumn inspired bath recipes. I'm a big fan of epsom salts and essential oils. Salt is said to help release negativity in the body and essential oils are not only good for providing some moisture to our skin, but depending on which oil contain other healing properties.
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