Collectively, we are all grappling with a number of unprecedented current events: the impact of COVID 19, record wildfires, an unstable political U.S. climate - to name a few. These are all palpable triggers for high levels of stress, anxiety, and fear. As a...
Category:
Natural Living
Aromatic Support for Honoring Change
“They say the fit survive, But I invoke the spirits of the lost.” D.H. Lawrence, Cypresses The end of October and early November is a time when many cultures honor the connection between the living and the dead. Samhain, Day of the Dead, and Halloween are different...
The Best Time to Sleep
Contributed by: Robert Sachs In most cultures, we are familiar with the increments and movement of time - the seconds, minutes, hours, days, and years. We may be familiar with the concepts of centuries or millennium, but for the most part, it is in the seconds,...
Nourishing Yourself with Ayurveda
That person, who always eats wholesome food, enjoys a regular lifestyle, remains unattached to the objects of the senses, gives and forgives, loves truth and serves others, is without disease. ---Vagbhata Sutrasthana, an ancient Vedic Text At the core of Ayurveda, the...
Bee Balm Pesto
My son, Soren, and I have a great love of pesto and we love exploring different plants to use in our pesto making. From Bee Balm to Lady's Thumb and Basil to Nettles, you can use just about any edible leaf to make it! Bee Balm Pesto 3 cups Bee balm leaves (Monarda...
How to Make Your Own Natural Bathroom Scrub!
My all time favorite scrub for cleaning our bathrooms! I played with my standard recipe by putting in some finely ground lemongrass which adds a little extra scrubbing power and aroma. I have also used powdered orange peels or powdered lemon peel in different batches...
Lavender/Lemon Window Cleaner
Part of the journey for me has been about how I can integrate aromatic plants with essential oils or sometimes simply to use aromatic plants (dried or fresh herbs). As a gardener, a herbalist and an aromatherapist, integrating the two makes sense and I trust this...
5+ Great Aromatic Plants for the Garden
I am incredibly thankful to my mother for sharing her green thumb and love of gardening with me throughout my life. Even today, I admire her ability to grow just about anything, including a lemon tree! Over the years with aromatherapy, having a garden or visiting...
Essential Oil Room Freshening Spritzer
Room Freshening Spritzer 30 drops Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) 20 drops Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens) 20 drops Lemon (Citrus limon) 10 drops Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) 4 ounce Spritzer bottle filled with water Combine all ingredients. Shake well. Use...
How to make an Aromatherapy Inhaler
I love inhaler tubes. Easy to make and easy to use. Since its Autumn (vata season), I focused on creating an inhaler for anxiety but it is an equally awesome time to create one to support the respiratory system and immunity as well. Sample blends are below. To make an...
Cleaning Your Home Aromatically
Written by: Nikki Loscocco-VanZandt B.A., LMT While studying aromatherapy I became intrigued with the idea of using essential oils to clean my home. I thought “ why not” use essential oils to clean with as they contain antiseptic, antibacterial, antiviral and...
The Beauty of Simple Ayurvedic Practices
Enhance Your Vitality (Ojas) Over the last few months I have begun to incorporate some of the teaching I received over the last two years from Arjun Das and Melanie Sachs. Although I have been practicing all of these techniques, it has only be recently that I...