Conscious Life Expo

I was at an AWESOME business symposium yesterday in LA. Sounds so official and stuffy doesn't it --- but au contraire. It was a full day conference for peole like me, business folks, who seek out more spiritual solutions to business issues. It turned up only a small group of people in its 3rd very young year so I like to think we're the underdogs of conscious capitalism. ;-)

Speakers had titles like financial confidante (aka cpa) , web marketing therapist (aka SEO specialist) --- gotta love it! All the 5 speakers were incredible but one really stood out for me was Monique Guild, a business intuititve (aka business coach). She evaluates the person or business project and 'sees' your blocks to keeping you from achieving your goals. Pretty far out there from what I was taught in business school... maybe that's why I'm so fascinated by these subjects and that it resonates with me!

Well being the curious person I'm always seeking persepctives on ways to stay connected to the purpose of why I AM in business and not let the rigors of business life get to me -- you know, that overwhelmed feeling? It's funny because people expect me to always be de-stressed in my line of work (and for the most part it is) but there are days when when I get immoblized by all the stuff to do... though I know I will never get it ALL done. The goal is to minimize those overwhelming days and feel good when I rest my head at night at how the day went. So to help me stay focused I go to conferences like these with like-minded entrepreuneurs. It REALLY helps me to stay congruent with my values and therefore to serve my customers better.

I plan far in advance by signing up for workshops, tradeshows, retreats, classes, as soon as I hear about them. I plan meetings not to far ahead and lunches with friends but for the most part I like to think I have an organic schedule and it's been working for me. In my past corporate 9-5 days, I'd be so overscheduled and even loved it, or so I thought. Rather I was merely going through the motions of meetings and to do's that I didn't stop to question whether they were necessary or that it was taking me a step closer to my dreams. Although we should have some amount of order into our daily schedules, it seems more natural to do things which make us feel good about each day --- whether that's to finish a project, start one, make phone calls, meet a friend for lunch or even skip out for ice cream and go to the park. Though I don't recommend this for everyone, I remember back when I lived in Alexandria and worked at PBS.org, that a co-worker and I spontaneously stepped out and watched a movie in the middle of the day (oh what fond memories ;-). It was our little secret we and we were even more produtive that day and week! You get my drift. Let's have a little MORE organic white space in our calendar to be free of total commitments. That's my little secret from having funky to fabulous days... now I sneak out without the guilt!

stay well.

Maria
dreamer in residence and cso
(aka chief spiritual officer)

Henry David Thoreau quote

One of the main reasons why I picked up the book French Women For All Seasons was because of my intrigue with this inspiring quote Mireille Guilliano chose for the introduction.

"Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each. Let them be your only diet drink and botanical medicines."

- Henry David Thoreau

Glow! just released

Today was a huge sigh of relief for me as I just released the first issue of Glow!, that's my store's new newsletter, first issue in fact you can almost smell the copy! Well, not really but you will get lots of tips to help keep you on the path to relaxation, wellness and a spirited way of living. I'm enjoying it, I hope you will too.

Read about Rejuvenation and Resolutions or sign up to receive Glow!

Have a glowing week!

Maria

happy winter solstice

As i slip in to my winter solstice ritual pretty soon, i wanted to leave these thoughts from Mother Teresa. Gratitude to YOU for making this first year in business an elightening one! ~ Maria

• People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered; Forgive them anyway.

• If you are kind, People may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway.

• If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; Succeed anyway.

• If you are honest and frank, People may cheat you; Be honest and frank anyway.

• What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; Build anyway.

• If you find serenity and happiness, They may be jealous; Be happy anyway.

• The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; Do good anyway.

• Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; Give the world the best you've got anyway.

• You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God; It was never between you and them anyway.

- Mother Teresa

winter solstice rituals

winter solstice which is tomorrow marks the beginning of winter and the shortest day and longest night of the year. so for me as the sun goes down this means an annual ritual of remembering and appreciating the year that is ending, letting go of the not so good stuff in the year and then setting an intention for the new year ahead.

how will you observe or celebrate winter solstice? some ideas... sharing a candlelight dinner with friends or simply observing the sunrise and sunet, turning off the lights after sunset and lighting candles or fireplace to truly experience this longer night.

so instead of resisting this day, accept (reflect) and celebrate (the direction) of your new year ahead!

feeding your soul

It's the final dash to finish the holiday shopping, plan the travels, the get-togethers and everything else we do to try to make each holiday special. For most of us, after all the gifts are wrapped and the errands completed, it's maybe, just maybe we think about ourselves.

Stop now and think about yourself to all busy overachieving women out there! Calendar out some time if you need to you renew your energy and re-charge for the new year ahead.

Here's what you can do to feed your soul:
light a candle, read a spirtual book from an author that resonates with you (email me if you'd like suggestions maria@destressessentials.com), practice some restorative yoga and go deep into meditation.

After this quiet celebration of your spirit, you'll feel renewed and refreshed, the natural way.

New partnership with Spiritual Cinema Circle!

Today is a great day. I'm very excited to let you know that we've just partnered with Spirtual Cinema Circle to do our little part to help raise the vibration of the planet!

If you haven't seen the film, The Secret, I highly recommend it! AND would love to hear your thoughts on how it has improved your life. Send me a message at maria@destressessentials.com



Spritual Cinema Circle is offering a free month of membership to get you started receiving those hard to find films. Click here to be taken to their website.

living in balance

Ahhhh balance. So my un-typical week went like this... de-stress essenials TLC, boutique show, ladies who launch meeting, connecting with a friend and her baby, more meetings, visited a lavender farm, secured new products, attended Linked Foundation opening reception, played the piano, hiked to the beach with muse, read some, wrote some, cleaned office, practiced yoga, and took holiday decorations out of storage. Whew... now, that is my idea of a successful week of balance, things that filled my spirit. Success this week. Now, working on a balanced upcoming week.

Here are my 5 keys to balance:

1. Being in touch with my feelings, with my inner wisdom.
   
2. Play
   
3. Simplify
   
4. Nurture body
   
5. Restful sleep
   

Think of each day as a journey through life that defines exactly who we are. To create a life of balance prioritize what is important to you. Decide what you want and ahhhh release the rest!
(photo by Fern Carbonell. Photo is of me at the Green Festival in Washington, DC in October showcasing a book on BALANCE!)

quote of the day

i love quotes and this one seemed to resonate with me as we let go of another november in our lives... here is a quote that inpsires me to be a better person.

"from time to time, to remind ourselves to relax, to be peaceful, we may wish to set aside some time for a retreat, a day of mindfulness, when we walk slowly, smile, drink tea with a friend, and enjoy being together as if we are the happiest people on earth." -thich nhat hanh

Buddha Nose Body Treats for a stress-free holiday

A quick shout out that Buddha Nose is now available at De-Stress!

After a long day, doesn't a warm bath set the stage for a peaceful, restorative night's sleep by signaling your body that it's time to rest. We encourage you to enhance your experience by indulging in our spa-inspired find, Buddha Nose Body Treat that will definitely nourish your body and spirit.

After a warm soak, I love to wrap myself in a comfy robe and a cozy foot mule for a truly soothing evening ritual. A soy candle fills my room with a calming scent of lavender to really take me to that blissful space.

Meditation Bath Salts Be still and breathe. Quiet the mind and concentrate on nothing.

Happy soaking!

perfectionism

as i sit typing away with muse by my side, i notice how she just takes things in stride, doing one thing, moving on and being happy in each moment. so that just brought me an aha moment about me versus perfectionism. that 'p' word is driving me to compulsive behavior with frustration as a side effect. did i really need to edit the copy 8 times? do i need to respond to every email? did i really need to make the image one pixel smaller then larger then smaller? did i really need to spend 3 hrs on one color decision? as my vow to strive for constant balance in my life, i'm gently reminded by muse to enjoy what i'm doing and leave the compulsion behind. my hope for you (and me!) is to set reasonable standards for ourselves. aim to be a healthy striver and enjoy the process as well as the outcome. it does lead to a more balanced life and a more genuine pleasure in the pursuit of excellence.

laugh your way to wellness

I'm always seeking out interesting articles on wellness. My sister knows this so she sends me articles and links on things she comes across. She sent a fun one last night about balance... laughing your way to wellness. It's a type of yoga called Okido. The purpose is to help you regain the connection to your life-force and create the basis for better health and spiritual happiness. I gave it a try this morning with muse. She can always make me laugh. She does this drop roll thing on me most mornings to play and wake me up to feed her. She seems to have the Okido practice mastered. So I giggled myself to bliss. Really lightened me up, ready for whatever comes my way today.

So time to open our minds and take a journey to find the inner child in you and laugh your way through the day. What a natural way to feel good!

If we couldn't laugh, we would all go insane.
- Jimmy Buffett

reasons why I home spa

By now it's probably no secret that I love pampering. It wasn't always in me... I actually shyed away from things that brought attention to myself. And even more so I shyed away from pricey spas. But now I might indulge only on occasion but home is where I'm most comfortable in integrating my spa routines.

I find the wonderful thing about getting older is becoming more in tune with our Self. That means, taking time out for us. Pampering should be as beneficial as reading a book, eating healthy and even walking your dog (shame on you if you're not!). It's up there with my peace, health, balance, my overall wellness.

As we head into the holidays be aware of how you're feeling and listen to what your body is telling you. What does it need? More TLC? A salt scrub perhaps? Make home spa'ing within your reach so that it's practical for you, your lifestyle and your wallet. I challenge you to get creative and use the ingredients in your cupboard right now. Take a look at Inside the Spa Pantry for creative practical home spa recipes.

I love this quote by Anais Nin "I go in to come out". It sums up why I take spa moments no matter how busy life gets. As the week goes by, I challenge you to just listen to your inner spa diva and give it the attention you deserve.

If you have a favorite recipe, I'm eager to hear about it to share with others.

Happy Spa'ing.

TranquilT Treatment and Ayurveda

I was in Bethesda, MD last month when I heard about Tranquil Space, a hip lifestyle- focused Yoga studio. They had all these neat offerings aside from yoga so I eagerly signed up for 'ayurveda and thai yoga bodywork'. The best part of it was the ayurvedic (more on that below) consulatation. I learned what my particular dosha or body constitution was. Through a series of questions, Ann my bodyworker and ayurvedic expert, was able to conclude that I had dominant Vata elements -- space/ether and air elements. Not so suprising since travelling is not generous with balance, routine, and relaxation.

The consultation was followed by a thai yoga massage that was customized to balance my Vata. Ann also recommended I stay away from salads and cold food while travelling and eat warm solid foods to help stabilize my energy that is just all over the place!

The thai yoga bodywork combined massage, assisted yoga poses, acupressure, energy work, and meditation to unblock energy, relieve tension, and increase my body's natural ability to heal itself.

So what has this done for me? After leaving the session, the worries of traffic, work, where to be next -- all vanished. Vanished. I shed years. What this has also done for me is to remind myself to be more aware of what my body is telling me. I am stubborn so I ignore it when I should be doing opposite. We all could use a little reminder that we need to listen and to act wisely to what our body is telling us. We all have our unique quidance system. We just have to remember to tap into this free resource within each of us!

__________________________________
Here's what wikipedia has to say about Ayurveda. Click here to go to website.

Excerpt from Ayurveda workshop at Tranquil Space:
Ayurveda is an ancient holistic system of medicine and a sister science to yoga that seeks to improve one's emotional, energetic and physical well-being.

• Ayurveda believes that we are part of everything (of the entire universe) and are therefore made up of the same ‘stuff’ as the universe, i.e. of the basic elements that the universe is made of; Ayurveda names ether/space; air; fire; water; earth
• in the human body these come together as 3 body constitutions (doshas): Vata – Pitta - Kapha

space/ether and air fire and water water and earth

Vata Pitta Kapha

• we all have all three of these energies in us, but not in the same amount; naturally one or two will predominate
• which energies are dominant will have to be taken into account when we look at how to help a person find optimal health;
• this also means we are unique and presents a different approach to the body and healing; it explains why not the same things are good for everybody and makes it possible to understand and treat the individual
• therefore, the way our constitution is made up will determine how we can find balance in our life; i.e. a person who has a lot of Pitta/fire and maybe also some water/Kapha in their life will not want to add more of these elements to their life, but will want to find a way of living (lifestyle routines, diet) that balance their constitution – then we can live in harmony with ourselves, live our life to the fullest (developing our full potential), live in harmony with Nature/the environment and reconnect with Purusha.
• Robert Svoboda: Every human being is a unique individual, full of idiosyncrasies and peculiarities. Your most precious possession, your life, is yours and yours alone, unlike that of any other human being past, present or future. Each human being is a unique manifestation of Mother Nature, the Creative Energy of the universe. Each possesses an indwelling fragment of the Universal Soul. The message of the Vedas is that each of us mist find our own path to a life lived to the fullest, for only by making the most of ourselves can we repay to Nature the debt we owe Her for giving us life. The universe needs you to add your mite to the vast collective tapestry we call human civilization. You can make your fullest contribution to life only when you are healthy and health alone enables you to enjoy your life to the fullest in return.

De-Stress tip: Mindfulness

Mindfulness, the primary weapon against that 5-letter word (stress) is a kind of "meditation-lite" developed for people who found traditional meditation styles too difficult to practice.

Mindfulness is simply breathing deeply and noticing your surroundings. Sounds kind of new agey but the practice has shown to work in heart patients and is so easily learned.

Can lower blood pressure and heart rate, improve immune function, and ahhhhhh promote relaxation. Not a bad side effect to managing stress and finding the balance in your life.

Isn't that what we all contantly strive for -- finding balance.

Soy candles ... the healthy living candle

In honor of this past Earth Day, I'm talking SOY CANDLES.

But WHY soy candles?

Here are the facts...

Almost ALL candles around the world are made from paraffin wax. Paraffin is the left over residue from gasoline refining -yet Paraffin aromatherapy candles are presented to consumers as a health enhancing product!

The Dangers of Paraffin Wax Candles.

• Has been documented to contain 11 harmful carcinogens, 2 of which are toxic.
• Produces problematic petrol soot emissions - has been considered as harmful
as second hand tobacco smoke.
• Paraffin candles are not biodegradable or water-soluble
• Burns hotter and faster than soy wax candles
• May potentially harm your health, pollutes your indoor air quality and our environment
• Many still contain lead wicks - CAUTION

Soy is clearly a better choice because...

• Soy wax candles are 100% natural.
• They are made from soy bean products.
• They are a healthy alternative to petroleum based products.
• They are clean burning and no petrol soot to black walls.
• They are environmentally safe and biodegradable.
• They are non-toxic and safe for children and pets.
• They are hand crafted and made from 100% Soybean based wax.
• The wicks are all natural cotton
• They contain the highest quality essential oils

The great thing is they come in different aromatherapy scents and the soy candles burn cooler and longer than mainstream paraffin candles.

I have always enjoyed the ambience, warm environment and the scent throughout the house from paraffin candles. I didn't know any better. But after learning about the hazards of the most popular paraffin (petroleum based) wax, I am now seeking the healthier choice, the soy candle. They smell delicious and look so elegant that I can rest easy that my lungs will be healthier. It's a better world with soy!

Soylicious Soy Candles

Be well.
Maria
www.destressessentials.com

How do you de-stress?

Today, I'm talking de-stress. We're already into the 2nd quarter of 2006 which makes it a good time to reflect how we've all done taking care of ourselves and how we have de-stressed ourselves. Here are some ways I do it and some tips to practice today. How do you de-stress?

- For me, saying "No". It's a hard lesson for me to say this one word, but I'd rather say it than dissapoint. Try it, it's a pretty big stress reliever.

- Relax, do nothing and be still. Practice breathing deeply. Do this several times a day for a few minutes or more as your schedule allows. Start in small doses until it becomes a natural part of your day.

- Have a plan for your day/week/month. When you anticipate, you can cope better.

- Just know that there will always be bumps in the road. Take the burden off you and acknowledge that. That's what makes life interesting!

- Go for a walk. It increases your mood level and de-stresses a stressful day.

- Play with your dog or pet!

- Have people you can count on in your lives. We can't go it alone, we're social beings.

- Get organized -- get rid of stuff and clutter.

- Being thankful, keeping postive, and most importantly staying away from negative people helps me to lead a stress-free life.