Lotus Coaching
In a culture where we’re taught to conform and receive massive amounts of conditioning and programming, self love is a concept that seems elusive to many of us. Although self love is rapidly gaining traction, exactly how to put this into practice can still feel like a dog chasing his tail.
For this reason, I’ve put together a practical guide of things to focus on in order to master self love, and to help you continue on your journey to fulfillment and wellness.
How many of us have felt the gnawing sensation of anxiety in our lives? Most of us are aware of the word “anxiety”. After all, anxiety disorders are the leading mental health issue we face as a species today. But how many of us are actually able to identify the emotion when we experience it and understand what it is trying to tell us?
The way anxiety manifests for every individual differs slightly. For some this can be felt as a chest tightness, throat constriction, and shortness of breath. For others this may be a swirling of thoughts in the mind, leading to dizziness and vision impairment. For you, the sensation of anxiety could be something completely different than the next person might experience.
Identifying the anxious state is step number one, so good on you if you’re already able to do this! The next thing we all want to work on is understanding anxiety for what it is in order to accept it as a deeply human condition, and understand the purpose of anxiety plays in actually assisting our wellbeing.
I know, I know, it sounds outrageous! Anxiety? A good thing? How can this possibly be? Here’s a few things I learned along my mental health journey that helped me to understand the role of anxiety in my life.
The end of the year signals the release of what is no longer serving us in order to welcome in the new possibilities, opportunities, and adventures of the upcoming year. Just as when decluttering our homes, we must clear space in our lives, minds, and hearts to bring in the new.
At the close of 2018, a year of trials, successes, and abundant lessons learned from the multitude of retrogrades this year, take a few moments to reflect on how far you’ve come. Consider what you’d like from the year to come, and what you’d like to leave in 2018. Set an intention for 2019, perhaps write a list of goals you’d like to accomplish, write a list of what you are releasing and letting go of.
Along my early journeys, I struggled immensely with getting into these negative downward spirals and having no idea how to break out of them. It even got to the point where I was the one unknowingly perpetuating these energetic cycles – sinking to devastating lows and rising to alarming highs.
I would spend weeks in depressive states where I was intensely suicidal and then rapidly cycle into days of sleepless mania. Wash, rinse, and repeat. I had created quite the toxic cycle for myself.
As I began to awaken to the fact that we each are in control of our internal states, I began to claim full ownership of my part in the decline of my mental health. As I began to leave behind the mindset of helplessness and victimhood, I took back my power, which meant the challenging path ahead was only beginning.
As a person who has experienced the ins and outs of the mental illness systems, I can confidently say that the issue of mental illness and how medication applies is one that is rooted in deep systemic dysfunction.
This is not so farfetched when you consider the main motivation of those running the mental health industry. It is important to analyze the intent of anything (be it person, industry, etc.) when trying to determine The Why of the way things are. I am a huge advocate for understanding the why in order to begin implementing desired changes.
In the case of the mental illness industry (yes, it is an industry), we first need to examine the intent of what they’re trying to accomplish.
In the case of most industries, the goal is to maximize profit. Why is this problematic for those of us trying to improve our mental health? Let’s look at the different cogs of the mental illness industry machine and how they fit together.
So you’re curious about going vegetarian or even vegan? Whether this is due to personal health reasons, wanting to do your part in preserving our environment, or animal rights, this documentary list has got something for everyone!
The purpose of this list is not to convert anyone to vegetarianism or veganism nor is it to force any belief systems down anyone’s throat. However, it is important to acknowledge that much of the happenings in the animal agriculture have been purposely hidden from and distorted to the public. I simply want to make this information available to anyone who wants to be in the know.
In my post 5 Ways To Eat Mindfully, we examined the importance of eating with loved ones and its impact on our sense of belonging and community. Today we’ll be looking at five ways to eat more socially to cultivate a feeling of connectedness and establish a more collective journey towards health.
Mindfulness is the practice of becoming intensely present in the current moment. It sounds more challenging than it actually is. All mindful eating is, is to be conscious or aware of the what, how, and why of our eating behaviors.
What are we consuming? How are we consuming it? Why do we eat in the way we do? Be present in the present, my friends!
A brown rice medley topped with napa cabbage and shiitake mushroom stir fry, daikon radish salad with peas and scallions, spinach and mushroom sauté, and bean curd and celery stir fry with red bell peppers.
This Buddha Bowl was so yummy to eat, but the prep was like an hour long julienne session from hell. It was so worth it though! For my friends looking to practice those knife skills, this dish is perfect for you.
In examining the relationship we have with our bodies, an important question to ponder is if we truly appreciate and express gratitude for all our bodies do for us. I know I certainly didn’t love my body for most of my life. Rather than treating my body like the precious vessel for my soul and beloved friend that it is, I chose instead to shun it and judge it based on arbitrarily society-constructed beauty standards.
Our bodies do so much for us – this is an undeniable truth. Our bodies engage in so many unconscious processes, which by their very definition, require no thought or effort on our parts. It fights off infection and keeps us healthy to the best of its ability. Our hearts keep the blood pumping throughout our bodies. Our lungs constantly provide us with prana – life force energy. Our feet carry us on all of our life journeys. Our hands hold close what is dear to our hearts.
A mouthwatering, creamy and tangy chickpea spinach curry with heaps of spices and zesty lime juice.
This dish is every spice lover’s dream! Leftovers are great for eating with tortilla or pita chips. I was definitely in a feel good haze for a good 30 minutes after eating this curry. I definitely was guilty of eating it for almost every meal for about 3 consecutive days.
So you want to start eating healthier? Boy, do I have a can of knowledge whoop-ass to unleash. But for the sake of love and peace for humanity, I will stick to the most important points and encourage everyone in any stage of their journey towards health to read this.
Most of you know by this point, that I follow a vegan diet. However, this post was crafted with everyone in mind and all, whether you’re plant-based or a voracious animal eater, are welcome!
The major draw of consumer driven convenience products often is the fact that we do not have to contribute any of our precious time or energy into something that is perceived as mundane and tedious. For the day to day mentality, this works fine! It saves us time throughout the day that we have prioritized for other things.
What we cannot fail to acknowledge however is the long-term detrimental effects of convenience food culture nations on health, social connection, and gratitude towards our planet for providing for us so abundantly. Are these consequences truly worth the time spent preparing our own meals?
