Sun Child: Handmade with passion and purpose

At House of Citrine, we have the distinct pleasure of sampling a diverse range of powerful and beautiful products from the conscious community. On our journey to bring you the best of the best we discovered one of a kind, handmade, blessed and recycled silk dresses that inspire  "grace, laughter, PASSION, freedom, expression and magic," created by the talented, driven and awakened, Elissa Kravetz. Once Steve Madden's right-hand gal, Elissa's work as a fashion publicist and her passion for travel led her to found Sun Child. A chance encounter with a very special family in Goa and their magical healing silks enabled her to create jobs in the village and give back to charities in India. We chatted with this inspiring woman who is determined to empower others and to ensure the clothes we adorn our bodies with feel truly amazing.

1. Elissa, tell us about how Sun Child got inspired?

I was traveling throughout Asia at the end of 2014 and ended my trip with a yoga retreat in Goa. On the last night of the retreat, I journeyed into the night market and stumbled upon the most vibrant, magnetic, powerful silks I have ever seen!  I talked for a while with the oldest daughter of the father who created some of the looks, put my hands on her shoulders and told her that I was going to help her and her family.  I flew back to LA so energized and inspired and looked at her business card every day for months. 6 months later after being coaxed by a girlfriend to go back to India to spend time with the family, I hopped on a plane, spent a week in Goa during the monsoon and bonded with this family.  I feel that they are my extended family. They receive the silks from a special area in India and together we bless them and create the designs that make up Sun Child!! 

2. Tell us about the families in India who make these one-of-a-kind dresses? 

They’re passionate & loving and we Skype often to stay connected while I’m here in LA. 

3. Indian silk…elaborate on the material of sourcing?

The silks are recycled Sari silks, each piece is unique and cuts only one dress, so each dress is one of a kind.  Your dress is your dress! 

4. Your journey to India has been life changing, how has this impacted your spiritual growth?  

I’m getting ready to travel back and can’t believe it when I realize that this will be my seventh trip to India in the past few years!  My first time traveling I went to Rishikesh in 2011 for the International Yoga Festival.  My spiritual journey started a year before that while studying Kabbalah. I learned there about living from your heart vs. your ego and over the years traveling throughout Asia I became committed to a heart-based life of service.  I still love fashion, I began working for Steve Madden out of college and I feel that what we wear is an extension and creative expression of self.  I love marrying my spiritual practice with business.  When I was working in PR towards the end I would burn sage in the office and send our clients samples with positive affirmation cards to the editors.  What I’ve learned over the years is that most people just want to feel BETTER!  If I can have a hand in inspiring and enticing joy in someone – I’m all for it! 

 5. Your dresses are blessed? Tell us more?

When we finish each collection in India, I sit with the family in a circle and we put some of the silks in the middle. We all go around and share something about the collection and what our wishes are. When I’m back here in Topanga, I play mantras while putting the finishing touches on each piece, then they spend a night hung outside on my deck surrounded by nature in Topanga Canyon, so they can spend a night under the stars.  Each dress is saged and gonged!  I love this whole process, it feels like a beautiful meditation for me. 

 6. When you’re not working on Sun Child, what else do you like to do? 

I love to dance. I recently went to a 5 rhythms dance workshop at Esalen and it was so incredible, so transformative, I dance as much as I can! I love to travel. Love to cook. Connect with my friends and lots of snuggles with my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Lillee. I’m also in a bit of a hibernation resting phase since moving to Topanga. The canyon has sucked me in a bit. Oh, and I recently started drumming, which I LOVE! 

 7. What keeps you going? Do you have any daily routine, ritual, or mantra? 

Ahh..what keeps me going.  Knowing that I have a larger purpose in life and am here to create and inspire. I’ve always felt different, in high school, in college, I just knew inside that I was different.  I feel like I have big things to do.  I try to take as best care of myself as possible.  To my friends I am always saying Radical Self Care!!  I try to visit the hot springs in Ojai as much as possible to ground and connect with nature.  I don’t meditate every day, but I would love to!!  Even 5 minutes in the morning sets me up for an incredible day.  As soon as I wake up I say to myself “thank you!” I follow up with “I’m enough. I’m worthy of unconditional love, I share unconditional love.” These have been my mantras lately.  

8. What are your three staples for glowing health?

For the past month every morning I’ve been making a super charged coffee concoction which has completely changed my skin. In the Vitamix I’ve been mixing a cup of coffee with Sun Potion Tocos and Ashwagandha, vanilla bean powder, ghee, coconut oil & raw lavender honey.  I swear adding this one spoon of ghee every day has given my skin a beautiful glow!  I drink tons of water, don’t drink alcohol or smoke.  And I love to get a little sun on my face each day :) I try to get at least 8 hours of sleep each night, I need it!! I also feel that the more I give, the more I say YES to things, people, activities that fill my soul, the more I say NO to things that drain me – this makes a radical impact on my health and psyche. 

9. What moves you through fear and brings you to bliss?

I’ve erred on the side of anxiety for most of my life, and every single time I sit down to meditate, every single time I drive through nature, I hear my inner voice say "DON’T WORRY!! You don’t ever need to worry."  I feel that the one thing that can move anyone through fear to bliss is TRUST.  Trust that the universe has your back.  Trust that we are here to succeed and be happy, not to struggle.  And when I can’t talk myself down I’ll connect with some of my grounded, calm friends who always get me out of the fear space.  One of the things that we often will say to each other is “what story are you telling yourself right now?!” we often will make up stories in our head that are not true, we believe them, and then we panic.  As much as I can I try to trust that things are going to work out blissfully & abundantly! 

10. What is your next big vision for Sun Child?  

On my next trip I’m going to create new styles to add to the collection, jump suits, pants and matching jackets.  My new BIG vision is for the brand to grow so much that we can build our own Sun Child factory in Goa and give jobs to people in the village. I’ve been watching over the past year, and women come one by one into my home to try on the dresses and when they do, without fail, every woman puts out her arms and spins around!  These dresses are magic, I’ve never seen anything like them.  They look amazing on every body type and seem to evoke a powerful confidence for every woman who wears them.  I want more women to experience this.  Global feminine confidence!!  Feel powerful on the inside and own it!! 

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Learn more about Sun Child and boutique locations on her website - iamsunchild.com and additional information here. Follow Sun Child on instagram and Eliss'a personal instagram.

Vibrant Healing with Fern Olivia

The moment you step in the aura of Fern Olivia you immediately pick up on her contagious smile and soothing voice. Her captivating warm compassion and eye contact puts you in a trace like state. Fern has had her share of health struggles with an auto-immune disease but is now building an empire for herself with Thyroid Yoga. We sat down with Fern to get a taste of her dynamic life.

1. Fern , tell us about how you got on the path of healing and yoga?
For nearly a decade, I battled against my body and the horrible discomfort of chronic congestion, puffiness, brain fog, constipation, food allergies, and severe stomach irritability. 

I spent hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars traveling from doctor to doctor, feeling like a lost patient who was completely disconnected from her body, wanting so badly to just be given a magical solution to it all.  I was told I had hypothyroidism, meaning my thyroid was underactive, and that’s why I was having all the uncomfortable feelings in my body.  I was given every type of thyroid medication in the book to mask the symptoms I was experiencing – rather than getting down and dirty with why I was feeling so awfully rotten in the first place.  At one point I was on 125 mcg of synthroid and 5 mcg of cytomel and still felt like a zombie. The worst part -  I was told that I would always have these symptoms and would just have to “deal with them.” 

After I graduated from college, I thought I was living the American Dream when I landed a swanky desk job at a prestigious investment bank in New York City. However, the 14-hour days felt like anything but that. I often experienced vertigo when staring at my computer and starting getting daily migraines that I took excedrin for regularly. I’d also pop a Zyrtec with my Synthroid before my cereal and soy milk each morning to clear my stuffy, runny nose. And even with all of that, I still felt awful. Finally, at the age of 22, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Hypothyoriditis, which is the autoimmune form of hypothyroidism. My own immune system was destroying my thyroid cells. This “attack and destroy” can cause wild symptom swings from hypothyroid to hyperthyroid, and back. 

I’d had enough. I thought to myself, “I studied biomechanics and neuroscience, with a degree in Biomedical Engineering. Why can’t I figure this out?” Turns out, I could…but in an unexpected place.

Yoga found me on a lunch break in between stressful meetings and staring at databases in Excel. Yoga fascinated me as I began noticing patterns of how I ate and treated myself, how I was spending my day, and how this related to how I felt on my yoga mat, and getting really excited about what this all meant. I began to take the first steps of being my own healer, instead of relying on test results and no clear direction. This was a whole new world to me, and as I began to feel better, I began to see that what I was putting in my body – and how I was treating it – was making a huge difference on how I felt.

Each time I returned to my yoga mat, I not only felt clear-headed, but also safe, comforted and loved — feelings I had been lacking in my life — and I realized that this practice allowed me to connect with myself in a way that I hadn’t been able to elsewhere. I found immense strength through my own journey and realized that my body had been screaming at me so long, just asking me to listen. 

Now, I’ve made it my career to empower men and women to tap into their own intuitive healer and live their most vibrant, healthy, fulfilled life, too. 

2. Do you have a daily ritual or mantra?
I like to say that daily rituals are habits made holy. Rituals bring us into alignment with who we really are and showing up for ourselves makes a declaration that we are committed to our own success and well-being. 

Sadhana, or daily practice, is a must for me, and it’s a pillar that I talk about in my Thyroid Yoga course. It's a non-negotiable holy practice that reminds me that I am worthy before I go out into the world - and yes, that means before I turn on my phone and check email or my Instagram feed. 

Every morning, I look in the mirror and gaze into my own eyes for three minutes, repeating the affirmation: “I see you, you’re beautiful.” Sometimes I laugh, sometimes I cry. Each day may bring up a new feeling – of appreciation, of understanding, of compassion. I remind myself I am worthy of all abundance that is coming in. 

I also began experimenting with essential oils to nourish and support my thyroid and as I learned more about the incredible healing potential of nature’s medicine cabinet, I began to create my own blends. I became empowered in my own self-healing, adapting holistic rituals to support my vitality. The simple self-care ritual of rolling a seductive fragrance on my throat and heart chakra every day while repeating affirmations has radically changed my life. Inspired by my own practice, I created Grace Alchemy, a rose and patchouli blend that makes all men within a 10-foot radius swoon. It’s true, you have to try it. Everyone - including a top dating coach - keeps telling me that it’s their new signature scent!

I begin each morning with a run out my front door, through the sand, into the cool Pacific Ocean. Splashing in the waves invigorates me and stimulates my lymphatic system - and as a bonus, is super anti-aging. Cold water plunges are incredible for immune health, and I’ve noticed that I feel significantly more energized when I have my ocean plunge first thing in the morning. When I’m traveling, I swap in cold showers for the ocean, which certainly isn’t as fun but does the trick.

At night, I lay on my sheepskin rug with a massive rose quartz crystal on my heart chakra. This crystal found me in Sedona and it provides immense grounding and healing energy!

3. What are your three staples for glowing health? 

Beauty is the healing food I nourish myself with, the sensual alchemy that kisses my skin, the gorgeous friends I choose to enjoy time with, the sacred home I have created, and the retreats and healing experiences I treat myself lavishly with every day. Beauty is taking care of myself in the most loving and kind-hearted way.

Here are 3 of my staples:
My beauty ritual begins the moment I open my eyes and mentally say a prayer of gratitude. Then, I prepare herbal loose leaf from my friend Nicole Granato - she has an organic hibiscus rose petal tea that is just so beautiful, I feel myself getting more gorgeous as I watch it steep. Why use a plain tea bag when you can fill your cup with fragrant, lush herbs and flowers? 

During my recent visit to Aja Malibu, a stunning luxury-boutique mountain retreat for the health and wellness-seeking connoisseur in Malibu’s Latigo Canyon, I had the gift of receiving an intimate tour of the property’s biodynamic vegetable and medicinal herb gardens with the beautiful founder, Iannya Magick. As I picked and tasted whole herbs fresh from the earth - Tulsi, Sage, Jasmine, Lemon Balm, and Holy Basil - my taste buds smiled and I felt reconnected to the beauty of life. Returning home, I have made infusing my tea and lemon water with fresh herbs a daily beauty ritual.

I moisturize my skin throughout the day with Solar Sun Protect, a skin protectant from my own organic beauty apothecary, Ajai Alchemy, made from all organic essential oils in a base of carrot oil and coconut oil to protect my skin. Living in Los Angeles and travelling frequently to sunny destinations such as Sedona, Hawaii and the Cayman Islands, I made this to give my skin some extra love as I spend my days practicing and teaching yoga on the beach. It gives my skin a dewy, radiant glow and the cedarwood and geranium essential oils protect against breakouts. The scent is sensual, aphrodisiac and adored by both men and women, and was recently named the signature scent of the Further Future Festival, which I taught at this past spring.
I apply Radiance Hair Serum to my hair, which keeps my beach curls wild and sexy without the frizz. Ever since moving to California, I stopped damaging my hair with the flat iron. My hair is the happiest and healthiest it’s been in YEARS! 

4. Tell us about Thyroid Yoga?
We are constantly told we are broken, or something is missing, or we need drugs.

We are constantly looking outside ourselves for answers.

When I began to look inside, I became more intuitive and began to finally notice huge shifts in my life. Yoga was the catalyst for me and as I have been experimenting with so many different healing modalities, I’ve learned how to finally feel good in my body again. I’ve worked with hundreds of clients over the past six years and have been shocked and how fast these practices really work - and how doctors often completely overlook these potent tools!

I have cross-pollinated ancient yogic wisdom and healing practices to create something refreshingly new, yet refined with rich substance and deep history. This is precisely why I created Thyroid.Yoga™ about 4 years ago, a method designed to empower men and women to say goodbye to survival mode and embody radiant health again.

In other words, in Thyroid.Yoga™, we discover how to unveil all the bullshit holding us back - and release it. It’s like nothing out there.

What makes my work unique is that I bring together the strongest possible offering for the physical, emotional and cultural health of my students and community.

I’ve been able to curate a program that works for everything, through combining the best of the best knowledge from the most renowned teachers, healers and experts. This is the game-changer - and it just recently launched on MindBodyGreen - I invite you to watch it here!

I’ve also created the Thyroid.Yoga™ Inner Circle, a special membership opportunity for those looking to understand their symptoms and finally free themselves from the mercy of thyroid and other hormone imbalances. I’m thrilled to offer my expert advice along with the support of the healers and leaders in the holistic health space, along with exclusive content - meditations and yoga sequences from me and I’ll be providing my answers to the most challenging thyroid questions in a safe and supportive forum.

I’m also really excited to be offering a one-of-a-kind teacher training program - for healers, teachers, or anyone looking to understand their thyroid and how to finally liberate themselves to speak from their soul. It’s happening at RA MA in Venice this upcoming November 3-6 and will be available globally via livestream, too! You can learn all about it here.

5. Your energy is healing and contagious, how do you move through adversity?

Thank you! I’m constantly bathing myself in sage and practicing yoga so I can keep my energy field strong and release any tension that I may have picked up. As an empath, I always feel for others and there was a time when I took on the energy of everyone around me, and I realized I was getting exhausted ALL THE TIME. I’ve learned how to move through challenges with grace - I have to, because I have a big purpose on this planet, so challenges will come up to stretch me. I meet resistance with determination and motivation to get to the other side and know these situations will make me stronger. 

I am kind to all those who I meet, because I know that when others’ may be short with me or not friendly for some reason, they are going through their own journey. I protect my own energy by setting boundaries from a place of integrity, love, and conscious communication. 

6. Who are some sources of inspiration for you?

Elena Brower - Elena an amazing yoga teacher, mamma, healer and dear friend. She does it all, and she’s so classy, calm and poised. She manages so much and stays true to herself and her students. She’s a blessing in my life, and I am very grateful to have studied with her extensively in New York.
Dana James - Dana  is one of my most influential role models and friends. She embodies grace and femininity, and is a true powerhouse in the wellness world. She rocks at what she does, she’s driven and is like a big sister to me.
Taryn Toomey - Taryn is the badass of the fitness world. She’s created something called The Class, which is a spiritual somatic experience. There’s nothing like it - you’ve got to try it. I love that she just is fearlessly herself and has dedicated her life to empowering women to fearlessly be themselves, too.
Guru Jagat - Guru Jagat is the founder of RA MA Institute, a kundalini yoga studio in Venice and an epic global community. She’s uncensored - she really wants her students and the world to be aware and awakened to what’s really going on. I love that about her. She’s been the catalyst for me to step into my power here in LA and I admire everything she’s creating with RA MA around the world.

7. Share with us 3 steps to start our mornings with abundance?

As you open your eyes, thank heavens for this ability to be alive another day, to be in this body and to have another day to be great! Thank all of the beautiful relationships and experiences you will cultivate today. 

Take a shower and feel the water on your skin. Close your eyes and take 10 deep breaths as the water graces your body. It's an amazing way to consciously set your energy and intention towards your day.

Bless your breakfast, your coffee, and your green juice! Consume slow and consciously, notice the textures and the feelings on your lips. It was made with so much love and intention, and it will nourish you so you can crush this day!

8. What 3 yoga poses do you recommend to the community to use on the daily basis?

1. Cat/Cow spinal flexion:  If you only have three minutes in the morning to dedicate to your yoga practice, this simple exercise is the one I recommend most to eliminate brain fog and fatigue, which are two of the most common symptoms of thyroid imbalances.

Why? The movement of cat-cow, known as spinal flexion, increases the circulation of the spinal fluid, which contributes to greater mental clarity, according to Kundalini Yoga, because all 26 vertebrae receive stimulation and all the energy centers receive a burst of energy.

Begin on hands and knees, with knees under hips and palms directly under the shoulders. As you inhale, press your chest forward past your upper arms and spread apart your sitting bones, making sure to keep your arms straight, shoulders and knees in position. Be sure to lengthen through the lumbar spine and broaden your shoulders as you press your breastbone forward. 

Try to speed the movement up to a rapid and rhythmic pace to promote energy flow, which in turn presses out the stagnant energy and decreases inflammation, releasing blockages that have been stored in the organs and glandular system. Keep up for 3 minutes.

2. Three minutes of Frog Lifts.

This exercise incorporates yoga asana (movement) and pranayama (breath work) to stimulate the glandular system and balance the metabolism. 

As you inhale, squat down, balancing on the balls of your feet, heels touching and raised up. Place your fingertips on the ground between your legs and slightly in front, spine arched, and chin slightly lifted. As you exhale, bow into your legs drawing the navel point inward as you straighten your legs, heels remain touching and lifted, and fingertips remain grounded. The movement is rapid.

3. Chair pose with the eagle arm variation

This particular arm variation is one of the best ways to nourish your thyroid because you are creating space in the throat region, through the leverage created by the hook of the chin over the upper arm. 

Each time you finish the pose, notice the warmth around the neck region. This powerful exercise strengthens the lower body while it flushes chronic stress and stagnation from your adrenals and activates your thyroid.

Instructions
Stand in Tadasana, mountain pose and take five deep breaths here, feeling your feet connected to the earth Take five deep breaths in Chair Pose, knees bent and seat back, with arms alongside ears, then return to Mountain Pose and ensure your feet are still set at inner hips width apart, toes facing straight forward. 

Wrap left arm under right and lift the elbows up and out, tucking the chin into the elbow crease of upper arm, and breathe deeply into the back of the throat. Take five deep breaths here; repeat with the other arm on top. 

Keep sending your seat back while lifting your elbows out and up, as you move your shoulders down away from your ears. Swallow to stimulate release of any congestion around your throat. Try to keep your face relaxed as you take three deep breaths. Find comfort in the boundaries, and breathe space into the back of your throat. Then release your arms and pause in Mountain Pose, standing up tall with your arms alongside your body.

This pose may feel uncomfortable and tight at first. If your palms are not pressing together, that is okay. Just take a hold of the higher wrist and try to pull your wrist up as you lift your elbows. As you do this, squeeze your elbows and forearms together. 

Certain biochemical imbalances in the brain can adversely affect the body and emotions, such as hormone imbalances and challenging afflictions such as anxiety, food cravings, and emotional eating. Balance sequences trigger the right and left sides of the brain, realign electrical circuitry, and restore biochemical balance in your body, according to the teachings of Kundalini Yoga. 

Finish your sequence with a forward fold, feet hip width apart and hands holding opposite elbows. Take 10 long, deep breaths here as you allow your head to drop heavy and your neck to lengthen. This pose brings release to the adrenals, so invite your lower back to expand while you keep your knees bent! 

To come out of this pose, slowly release your arms and roll up to stand, bone by bone, head coming up last. Take a few breaths in mountain pose, standing tall with your eyes closed to notice the effects of these movements and the healing you have offered your body as the breath circulates around your organs. 

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Fern Olivia Langham is a LA-based yoga instructor and wellness expert renowned for her artful approach to self-healing and founder of Thyroid Yoga. She combines her extensive knowledge of yoga, meditation, breathwork, mantra, holistic health, and her own plant-based alchemy Ajai Alchemy into a one-of-a-kind integrative approach. View her offerings on her website, and connect with her on Instagram and Facebook.

Lindsay Mack: Soul Tarot Reading

House of Citrine first connected with Lindsay Mack at this year's Spirit Weavers Gathering. What immediately stood out to us about Lindsay was her pure, blunt authenticity—the kind that hits you in the face but shows you straight to the heart. Her candidness comes from the belief and healing practice that acceptance brings clarity, and it’s the clear and honest path that travels forward.  

A happy survivor of childhood abuse, trauma, and PTSD, Lindsay is dedicated to bringing healing to those experiencing mental, emotional, or physical suffering and helping people to arrive at their whole selves as she did. In addition to her offerings of Soul Tarot Readings and spiritual counseling, Lindsay’s writing on the Tarot can be found in numerous novels and journals.

Lindsay is based in Brooklyn, but her teachings live all around the world as her travels spread her readings and healing practices. She is also the co-facilitator of Brooklyn Fools, a six month Tarot immersion program. Lindsay offers readings, healing sessions, and tarot classes from her apartment, but teaches in workshops across the country and is reachable for her services across the world through phone or Skype in addition to her travels.

1. First off, we’d just like to say that we love and admire your passion with which you help those suffering from mental, emotional, and physical distress. How do you feel you were drawn to this form of healing?

Honestly, how I serve is really no different from how I am in real life—lots of wisdom, warmth, and compassion with a few “motherfucks” thrown in. I keep it very real, very authentic to how I actually am. 

I feel that this work chose me. I never had any intentions of walking a healer’s path. In fact I wanted to be a performer, and did that for many years before being birthed into the initial phases of the work I'm doing now. It all came from choosing to stay alive through tremendous pain, trauma, and suffering, something I think that many healers share. 

I bought my first deck of Tarot cards at age 12 and never thought for a moment that it would become a part of my adult life. I was always someone people came to for advice and guidance, and I always was aware I was somewhat intuitive, but it never occurred to me that that was an option in terms of a life path. It was only after moving through a life-changing breakdown a few years ago that I chose to actually say yes to my gifts and embrace my path as a seer and a healer. It began with a click for me, that all of my trauma, all of the physical and emotional abuse I had endured throughout my life, all of the supposedly terrible, shattered pieces were actually forming this incredible whole. They became the foundation upon which my entire soul’s journey as a healer was built on. 

Everything I offer other people has come from being freed by it myself. I really surrendered to and embraced every dark, hellish thing I had been handed in my life as a gift and an opportunity to evolve. I just started to say yes to it all, and once I did, I started really healing and thriving. My tribe of clients soon followed, and the two still walk hand in hand. Tarot’s walked it's way back into my life and became the beautiful glue that binds it all together. My entire life transformed and continues to do so, all because I began to say yes and accept the issues that I had spent a lifetime trying to fix, neuter, eradicate, banish. I woke up to the fact that whatever arose in my inner landscape was a sacred teacher, one I could bow to and learn from. That's when I started to receive sacred offerings and began channeling my healing work. 

I had no idea of all that would happen—I simply wanted to be at peace with myself, so I embraced everything in me, and everything hence flowed from that intention. 

2. What is Tarot, exactly? What is your style for Tarot reading?

Stripped to numbers, the Tarot is a set of 78 cards—22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana—that are said to offer a visual range of the entire human experience. From deck to deck, there are different sets of images and archetypes used to provide the symbolism for the reading.

I myself facilitate an offering called Soul Tarot Readings. This is the intention to utilize the Tarot for the evolution of the soul, and for the continued disidentification from brain chemistry, old wounding, and the ego. Soul Tarot was born and channeled out of my own intimacy with my guides, my tarot deck, and my journey through deep healing. My practice continues to evolve with me, and the deeper I go, the richer the offering becomes.

3. How have Tarot cards helped you in your life?

I wouldn't be here without Tarot. The Tarot is the language I speak with God, and the visual representation of prayer for me. That sounds really out there, but it's true. It feels like a beloved pet, a guide and a friend. It brought Source and magic into my life when everything was dark. 

Tarot helps me to understand what I am evolving through in any given moment, and to trust in myself and to grow. When I was healing from PTSD and I didn't trust my own connection to my guides, Tarot served as the bridge. Now it has blossomed into the most incredible tool for me. I channel through it, I see life through it, and I have fun with it. My relationship with my deck literally helped to save my life. It's a language that just makes sense to me.

4. Can you tell us a little bit about Wild Soul Healing?

Wild Soul Healing is the name of my beloved wellness practice, under which I offer Soul Tarot Readings, Intuitive Coaching & Mentorship, and Soul Tarot Intensives and classes. Wild Soul Healing is also my heart’s mantra—it’s the drumbeat I walk to in my own life. I believe, to quote Sweet Medicine Nation, that “wildness is our first medicine”. When the soul feels wild and free, we are truly in alignment with Divine. When the nervous system is free of trauma and fight/flight/freeze, we are liberated to live in this wildness, which is synonymous with the truth of us. Our inner children, our wisest knowing, our sexuality, our laughter, our tears, our raw, messy, beautiful selves—all makes up the treasure that we can claim once we commit to a path of healing the wild soul. Everything I offer within Wild Soul Healing is intended to return back to that essence of us.

5. How would you describe a person’s “true soul path”?

It's here! You're on it! The true soul path is this very moment. It's just us, being as available as possible to master and evolve through the moments and situations we are currently in. It's actually the moment we try and figure out what our soul path that we start drifting away from it a bit. You don't have to find it; it's already here, waiting for you with open arms. 

Everything that we believe is a block or obstacle to the soul path IS the true soul path. It's whatever is inviting you to tea, so to speak, and it's usually the RSVP we are quickest to decline. Once we drop the notion that there's a problem with our current life, or that we have to “get on” our soul path (which the primal brain LOVES to think, by the way), we become available to effortlessly receive shifts, upgrades, and changes that are truly aligned with our highest and our best. At times, the soul path is rocky and dark as night. Sometimes it's so clear we can see for miles. It is wherever we happen to be moving through in this moment. It's all good medicine, no matter what. 

6. If you could give one gift to everyone in the world, what would it be?

I would give to each person an embodied knowing that feelings are not facts, and that they don't have to believe their thoughts. 

And a Chakrub. Everyone needs to own a Chakrub! 

7. Throughout all your travels, what has been the most interesting experience involving your work? Where did it take place?

Without question, the most interesting work experience I've ever was teaching at Sacred Tarot for the Wild Soul at Spirit Weavers Gathering in Mendocino, CA. It was a very profound experience to be able to serve so many women from all kinds of backgrounds, all of whom truly aligned with the material I was teaching. That there was so special for me to witness. Holding class outside on the grass, surrounded by redwoods, birds, and butterflies didn't hurt, either!

8. Who has been your best teacher in life? What has been the most valuable lesson that you have learned?

Hands down, my mentor and sacred teacher, Michelle Sinnette. She is a master, and has given me the keys to unlock everything I am on this path and more. I love and cherish her and her work deeply. I've also been profoundly impacted by the works of Tara Brach, Thich Nhat Hanh, Susun Weed, and Clarissa Pinkola Estes. Furthermore, I find that my own fears, traumas, anxieties, jealousies, and shadows have been the best guides and exemplary teachers.

I'm in the practice of intentionally saying yes to anything that arises in my inner landscape; alas, I think that the most valuable lesson to impart regarding teachers is that in any moment you are present, you have the greatest one available to you. Whether it's your child, an asshole in traffic, or an surge of grief, it's all walking you home. I thank Michelle for having absolutely locked this in for me. 

9. If you could choose one piece of wisdom to speak to all those in the depths of suffering, what would it be?

I would simply offer this quote by Rilke: 

“Let everything happen to you, beauty and terror. Just keep going; no feeling is final.”

10. How do you feel that people can benefit from a Tarot reading?

People can profit from a tarot reading in so many astounding ways. 

A good tarot reading offers truth, clarity, and empowerment. It holds a mirror up to our Divine nature. Tarot doesn't fix, cure, or tell the future, but is an excellent guide for the moment, so we can truly embrace the present from our heart. 

A great tarot reading can serve as a healing tool, and can truly help the nervous system and the body let go of some of the trauma and embrace more of freedom. It all depends on whatever is in the client’s highest and best. It's really an amazing experience, and one that can often be life changing. 

11. How often should someone consult a Tarot reader, in your opinion?

As often as they feel the call! Once every three months is a great baseline. 

12. What is the most misunderstood thing about spirituality (Tarot reading)?

In terms of Tarot, the biggest misconceptions are that you will be told your future or your fortune, that it will predict catastrophe, death, or divorce, even that all tarot readers are psychics or cheating you out of money...I could go on and on! 

13. What do you feel has been your greatest triumph as a spiritual guide?

That I don't feel like a spiritual guide. I just feel like a person, a person who is fucking blessed and honored to be able to walk a life of sacred service. It's a triumph for me that I've continued to do my own soul work consistently while working in this way. Sometimes I swing over into too much ego, but I'm knocked out of that pretty quickly by my guides. I am literally in a constant state of evolution, which is at once very uncomfortable and amazing! It's just my life rhythm. Honoring that has kept me very humble; it has kept my work very clean, ethical, honest, and ever-expanding. I'm delighted to be a raw, messy, imperfect human being, on this path with everyone else. Who the hell am I to be a guide if I'm not walking the same path as my students and clients? In truth, they’re just as much the teacher as I am. 

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Lindsay Mack is a Brooklyn based intuitive tarot reader who offers Soul Tarot readings, mentorship, coaching, and healing work. Visit her website to learn more, and follow her on Instagram and Facebook. 

Lotus Lindley: Balance and Harmony with Essential Oils

Changing times. Shifting paradigms. Vibration on the rise. 

As the wave of awakening grows stronger, more of us are seeking to upshift our health, our vitality, and our consciousness.  Healing collectively, whether that be physical, emotionally, and spiritually is calling us all to rise to a new vibration of love and peace.

Essential oils, when they are pure, unadulterated, undiluted, sourced and harvested from the ideal conditions for each plant, and distilled with integrity, offer us potent plant medicine.  Essential oils are just one of the gifts Mother Earth offers us for our healing and on-going vitality. They are expressions of her love and intelligence for the natural world, including us, and are received harmoniously within our being on all levels. 

Essential Oils are perhaps one of the most potent forms of plant medicine we can receive. One drop of a pure essential oil is the equivalent of 50-70 times the potency of herbs. To clarify, 1 drop of Peppermint oil is equal to 28 cups of Peppermint tea!  This one drop of essential oil can support us on the cellular level, accessing millions of cells and all of our bodily systems.  

The properties and energies of essential oils run the full range of ‘anti’ properties such as anti-fungal, -parasitical, -bacterial, -inflammatory, -tumoral, -septic, etc. They can help in the elimination of pain, swelling, and mucous. For the endocrine system, we can be assisted in the balancing of hormones and support for proper organ function. As I began with Frankincense, a daily ritual for me is massaging 1 drop of this wisest oil along the throat to support thyroid function. We can practice preventative wellness and receive assistance for more acute issues when integrating essential oils into our daily lives.

Essential oils offer support to our body/mind/emotions/spirit, inviting all aspects of ourselves to come into a natural balance, harmony, and alignment with our Highest Self.  As a healer, I feel their energetics carry a wisdom and frequency which joyfully speaks to our heart and soul.

One of the most powerful essential oils for the brain and to support the functioning of the Pineal Gland, Frankincense is also one of the most revered, so it is worth mentioning more than once! Frankincense has and is being studied for its many healing effects. The saying goes, ‘when all else fails, turn to Frankincense.’ Studies for the brain show that there are extremely few substances that can cross the blood-brain barrier, without causing subsequent harm. Two of those substances are essential oils. Frankincense and Sandalwood.  Frankincense, when applied to the roof of the mouth, goes directly toward the Pineal Gland, supporting cell growth, rejuvenation, and assists in decalcification of this ever so important gland.  A beloved oil that we’re never without. 

Photo credit: Natalia Molina

I’d love to share some of my favorite recipes and ways to invite essential oils into your life. Bringing ourselves into the present moment with the process of blending and anointing helps to build a relationship with the energies of essential oils, so I usually don’t pre-make blends. Below I’m happy to offer the option for general pre-blending as well.

1) Pressure behind the eyes, head throbbing, desperately need to lie down, a growing feeling of ‘ikyness’ in the stomach? Yep, it’s the big M headache!

Basil. Lavender. Peppermint. Dollop of Carrier Oil (Almond, Jojoba, etc)

• Dime size dollop of carrier oil
• 1 drop of each in the palm of your hand.
• Gently rub hands together a time or two.
• Inhale deeply for 2 breaths.
• With finger tips, lovingly massage temples, Third Eye and along the brow.
• Next, massage into the ear bones (behind the ears) and then massage remainder at the base of the skull.
• Inhale again.
• Rest. Breathe. Be.

2) Can’t sleep?

Vetiver. Lavender. Patchouli.

• Use 3 drops Vetiver into your palm.
• Dip fingertip into Vetiver and apply first on the big toes, low back along the spine, back of the neck, temples, Third Eye.
• With remainder on hands, begin massaging into toes and soles of feet, then massage all the areas oil was applied.
• Next, add 2 drops of Lavender & 1 drop of Patchouli into palm.
• Gently rub together a time or two, then layer this application over the areas with the Vetiver.
• Inhale. Breathe. Be. Sleep.

3) Mid-day boost?

Wild Orange. Peppermint.

• 1 drop of each in the palm of the hand.
• Rub hands together gently & then breathe in deep a few times.
• Apply to soles of the feet if possible, and the back of the neck up along hairline at base of the scalp. Feel the coolness!
• Wild Orange offers a sense of abundance & joy.
• Peppermint invigorates the breath & mind.

*Citrus oils are photosensitive. Some people are sensitive if area of application is exposed to sunlight within 12-24 hours. If applying topically after inhalation, cover area or massage into an area of the body which is covered if you’re going to be out in the sun. *

4) Evening Skin Nourishing Rejuvenation

Frankincense Essential Oil. Carrier Oil ~ Almond, Fractionated Coconut, or Jojoba

• Wash face, rinse with cold water, pat dry.
• Gently massage carrier oil into face and neck.
• Add 1 drop of Frankincense into palms, massage into skin, then along neck and throat in an upward motion.

5) Miso Dressing for 2 (only pure EO’s can be used)

Chickpea Miso. Olive Oil. Apple Cider Vinegar. Spring Water. Lemon. Rosemary or Fennel or Basil Essential Oils

• 1 large table sp of Miso paste.
• 3 tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• ½ cup Spring Water (or desired consistency)
• Thoroughly stir all ingredients.
• Add 1 drop Lemon. 1 drop of preferred Rosemary or Fennel or Basil Essential Oils
• Pour on Salad reaping health benefits and a tasty treat!

For pre-blending, this ratio is general. In a dark glass, 5 ml bottle, use 1% carrier oil to 2% Essential oil as a guideline.

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Lotus is certified in Yoga Nidra facilitation, as a Reiki Master, Oneness/Deeksha Giver, and AromaTouch Essential Oil Technique.  As a healer, she’s been working with private clients and in small intimate groups, since 2004. Her work includes emotional/somatic release, Shadow work, meditation, Shamanic Healing & Light Language Activations.

Lotus offers classes on Essential Oils and Healing sessions in Los Feliz, CA. Visit her website, The Art of Sacred Embodiment to learn more. Email her at lotuslindley@gmail.com.

Victoria Larnach: Sustainable Art

Victoria is an artist and environmentalist connecting culture, craft, and sustainability with indigo dyeing. She creates work that has vision yet spontaneity, bridging cultural gaps, and influenced by the rituals and techniques of artistic history. She speaks with us about her passion for the skilled craft of indigo dyeing and how it reflects the history, living art, and sustainability she cares deeply about.

1. How did you get inspired to use indigo dye?

I was introduced to Indigo while living in Australia. It was something I had briefly seen floating around my sphere, but I hadn’t actually tuned into it yet at a level of deep comprehension. Because I come from an artist and fashion design background, I had been exposed to a lot of unsustainable practices in the industry (mainly fashion), and as my love grew towards care-taking for our earth, understanding what we will be leaving behind for the generations to come, and what is important right now to protect, somehow Indigo Dyeing made it’s way into my life by a man named Aboubakar Fofana. He is a master dyer from West Africa and has traveled the world sharing his tradition of natural and Indigo dyeing, the latter in which he revived as it was nearly lost due to industrialization. He has an incredible amount of experience, strong technique, and even stronger cultural and traditional ties to this ancient dyeing process. I was inspired immediately and ever since I have learned skills from him, it continues to inspire me daily and urges me to go deeper. There is a lot of knowledge with this craft, and switching my designs and artistry towards sustainability has become the focal point in what I’m sharing.

2. What is indigo dye exactly?

Indigo dye is actually a plant pigment. It is extracted from the Indigo Plant leaf and requires certain chemical reactions with other agents to create the beautiful blue hues you see. There are hundreds of different species of Indigo plants, all unique to their respective region, and each region has a specific way of extracting the pigment. Firstly, you will have a blue pigment that won’t bind straight away to fabric until you introduce other agents to help it become useful for dyeing. Once these agents are introduced (there are many ways to create an Indigo vat) then you have a green solution that is created by these al-chemical reactions, and so one must wonder, “How do you go from a green solution to a finished blue fabric?" Oxygen. Once the fabric is removed from the dye vats, and oxygen is introduced, the solution on the fabric begins to turn from green to blue before your eyes, and once oxidized fully, the fabric then turns into a gorgeous hue of blue. This is why they say the ‘alchemy’ of Indigo because it truly is magic.

3. Why is it so rare?

Indigo dye was once rare many generations ago, and as it became more well known and traded around the world, it was readily available, even now in present day it is somewhat easy to obtain. There are hundreds of species of the Indigo plant. However, the color BLUE is rare in nature and one that is considered a precious color because not many plants produce a type of blue the way Indigo does. Woad was once used, but it swiftly became secondary to the ‘Queen Plant’ Indigo. 

4. How is the indigo medicinal?

Indigo has natural anti-microbial properties in it, which makes it very useful for any natural fiber clothing close to the skin, to sensitive areas of the body, for babies, for workwear such as denim. It was also used as somewhat of a ‘tincture’ or a tea with certain cultures around the world. Because it has such a deep and rich history, there is quite a lot of information on the specifics of how it’s been used for other than it’s dye. I am endlessly interested to learn about its other various uses, and through my journey on this indigo road, I am beginning to find the knowledge of these traditions. I am always inspired and fascinated by humanity's relationship to the plant kingdom. Also, when we look at Indigo blue or dye with it, it is said to promote peace and intuition - for me, this is one of the most important medicinal properties it offers us.

5. Why aren’t more people using indigo dye?

Many people do use indigo dye, but because the process requires a lot of time, work, and patience, many have moved towards synthetic dyeing which is a lot quicker, producing results that are not as natural as an organic indigo dye vat. Patience is key and is so rewarding with the natural indigo dyeing process, and because we do live in a world that encourages a fast-paced way of living, our global fashion industry reflects that with synthetic or processed clothing. Many indigo traditions have been lost because of the synthetic indigo industry. Not only is the process of synthetic dyeing harsh for the environment (there are numerous chemicals used), but the results of the dye on fabric are not as lustrous as an organic dye vat, and the indigo tends to bleed or fade. That is one way of telling it is synthetic, it will not be colorfast. Indigo dyed through a natural process, done correctly, is completely colorfast and actually will ‘outlast’ the fabric - meaning the fabric can disintegrate first and the color will have actually stayed! I hope through sharing this artisan skill I can inspire and encourage people to consider switching towards sustainable textiles - it is just simply better for our planet, keeps cultures and traditions alive and intact, and empowers people to create their own pathway on how they want to leave their footprint while walking on this earth. 

6. What is your creative process?

An idea comes to mind, the first in situ of inspiration. Then it’s intention setting for guidance on creating what wants to come through. Then music. LOTS of great music. A clear space to move around in, generally a private space, outdoors, with access to sunshine and water. And then I let it FLOW. Create as I go, maintain the vision of what I would like it to look like, and many times I completely just allow it to be whatever it wants to be. That’s the beauty of design - it is not always planned and what emerges will always be a work of art. Art in motion. Everyday. Every moment.

7. Do you have a mantra or meditation process while you’re dyeing?

BREATHE. Go slow. Patience…. always. I am always reminding myself of this. 

8. Who are you inspired by?

Definitely by Aboubakar, first and foremost. Culture keepers. Frida Kahlo, and mostly any strong woman. Several of my fellow artist & musician friends. Also environmental heroes/heroines and activists - anyone that stands for the protection of our planet. The list is too long to name them all, I just deeply appreciate what people do to keep this planet alive and thriving, and I feel very passionate about this subject. I think I will always be an environmental activist in my heart, but more importantly, a CARETAKER for the Earth, in whatever form that comes out. Artwork and words are my expression for now. 

9. What are some of your rituals when you’re in your groove while dyeing?

Being with nature, breathing, listening, staying present. That’s the indigo groove for me! The whole act of Indigo dyeing is a ritual, every part matters, every part is a sacred piece for the story.

10. Is it difficult to source the indigo?

Indigo can be found through various sources from anywhere in the world. There are so many options, one easy way is to source the pigment. The leaves may be a bit more challenging to source as I know certain places can take a while to receive the leaves, but preferably you would be growing your own plants! 

11. Whats next for you Victoria? 

It’s been a big year. I feel like I have been flowing in this blue river quite serendipitously and very blessed along the way. The community keeps expanding and as I grow, I begin to connect with so many other wonderful people around the world. I will be traveling through the West Coast, north to Canada, over to the East Coast, and Hawaii to share this wonderful Indigo immersion. I also have an artist residency coming up in Oaxaca Mexico in August, and I am very excited to be learning from the master dyers there!

12. Tell us more about your artist residency in Oaxaca.

Yes - such a gift! I will be in Oaxaca for a month learning hands-on instruction from master dyers about their traditional Mesoamerican way of indigo dyeing, cochineal dyeing, and pericon dyeing (Mexican Marigold) as well as other natural dyes. I also feel so blessed to be learning from a family of traditional Zapotec weavers on their dye practices and woven art. It will be a colorful, immersive, comprehensive and incredible journey. It’s been a dream of mine to travel to Oaxaca for awhile now, and arriving in this way feels quite incredible and important for this time. We are at an interesting turning point in our history, and I truly believe that learning ancestral knowledge and sharing it with communities is a strong way to bring positive change by expanding social awareness, bringing sustainability through the arts, and bridging cultural gaps for a better understanding to shape our future. 

Attend one of Victoria's Indigo Dyeing and Shibori techniques workshops.

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Victoria's art and indigo dyeing reflect the cultural and natural landscape of the places she lives and travels.  After studying Fashion Design at the Art Institute of California,  she was introduced to the ancient Indigo Plant and its natural dyeing technique. Each piece echoes our connection to Mother Earth and the importance of sustainability. Follow Victoria on Instagram, Facebook, and find her writings at The SeaChange Collective.  Email her at vmlarnach@gmail.com.

Crystal Kingdom

Shanna Fanelli is a certified Crystal and Sound Alchemist, Faeriologist, Energy Artist and Reiki I and II practitioner. Deeply in tune with the mysteries of the ancients and a Star-child, her minimalistic lifestyle and sacred reverence for the elementals reflect her beliefs and loving relationship with the Nature. She implements Crystal Energy, Vocal Healing and Earth-essence into her daily practices and energy sessions, focusing on a holistic lifestyle that honors love and light for all life-force. Shanna has over three decades of working with faeires, nature spirits and stars. She has studied under Silkander Scott Von Heldt, Doreen Virtue, Nicole Pigaeult and Antea Rood. 

It seems like there’s a lot of seeking going on. Every-other street corner, natural foods store, metaphysical hot-spot and couch cushion is being scoured for the newest token of manifestation and spiritual awakening. It’s beautiful, it’s exciting, and it’s all the rage, which can suddenly manifest itself as soggy granola in life’s cereal bowl of irony.  Suddenly the “rage” issues a rage, and it’s no gluten-free-vegan-biodynamic-cupcake of bliss when confronted with the oodles of options spirit weavers, fortune tellers and the latest Instagram account tell us we need in order to be in “our personal power…”  We are left with a panic that our dreamcatchers don’t work, our birthdays screwed us for life, and that if we don’t have every precious gemstone there is to mine, we won’t activate our LightBody (you were thinking about all of this stuff to do that, right?).

I can’t tell you the way to enlightenment, but I can tell you that it’s ok to relax. I can’t stretch my body into sacred geometrical shapes and walk on water, but I can tell you that you should really try (and if you do this – please call me!). I can’t tell you all of the downloads and chants that can be integrated to achieve this heightened state of Divine Awareness, but I can tell you about one of the many tools and Master Teachers our amazing planet has provided to enable us to remember who we are – crystals.

I state this as fact, because I believe it to be so and because I’ve been working with the Plant and Crystal Kingdom all of my life.  You have too, if you have ever had the sudden urge to climb a tree, sit on a rock, dig your hands through the sand, or just walk barefoot across the grass. Our natural state is to be at ease with the elements, and the Crystal Kingdom presents us with tangible representations of the innate powers we possess.  Each stone resonates at a special frequency that touches us, allowing our physical bodies to begin to vibrate at that frequency. The ultimate goal is to embody all of those vibrations and continually resonate at a crystalline current. Our limitless LightBodies are already crystalline, and eagerly awaiting integration into our physical selves. The crystals, nature’s gifts, help us with this sacred union.

I often get asked about how to work with the crystals. I say play with them! The crystals are living objects of outstanding energy – they want you to be open to be able to receive their gifts!  Never doubt, feel foolish, or intimidated by the concept of bonding with a crystal. There is no wrong way to play within this world. One of the easiest things to do is to literally go to a location where there are crystals and walk around, opening yourself up to the idea that there is a new friend waiting to find you. It’s delightfully surprising to see what crystals will call out to you at different times in your life.  When you find a special stone that “feels good” (really!) hold it in your hand. You can close your eyes if it helps you to concentrate, you can gaze at it in wonder (or confusion), you can sing the theme song from The Legend of Zelda and triumphantly hold it atop your head – whatever feels good.  Notice if it heats up or cools down. See if it fits into the grooves of your palm and snuggles into the nooks where the fingers attach to the hand.  In a world of overstimulation, the art of just being, just feeling quiet and focusing on a simple act can be one of the best gifts you can give to yourself. This may not happen immediately, and that’s ok. Be gentle with yourself. Expect the best and if nothing happens at first, know that you are destined for something better, something magical! Once you find that perfect piece, you will know.

Continue to carry your crystal with you. Get used to its distinct size, shape and lovely crevices. Feel the lines, points, hollows, dips and mountains upon its surface. Does it bear any physical similarities to you? (You know what they say about humans and their pets, well, if you were a crystal…) Check out the coloring – does it have rainbows? Is it a smooth, unified shade or does it have spots and gradual fading? Is it actually quite hideous to you, but for whatever reason, you just love it?  It loves you too.

There is a never-ending plenty when it comes to crystal play. You can make mandalas with them, create special altars of intentions, grid your home, office (I used to keep a grid right on my desk when I worked in the corporate world) and make a special “blend” to keep in the car or on your bike for protection. You can do beautiful dedication ceremonies for yourself, others, or the Earth with crystals. You can take them and plant them back into the Earth with intentions. One of my favorite things to do is to charge a quartz crystal with a specific intention, and then plant it in a spot with an amethyst. To charge a crystal is to cleanse it, and then in whatever way feels best to you, to state your intention for the highest good and the highest frequency (you always want to preface an intent with some sort of prayer that acknowledges the highest of frequencies, as we want to continually raise our vibrations and all that is around us). There is no wrong way to charge a crystal. You can hold it to your third eye, you can place it on your heart chakra, you can give it a good stare or simply fold it between your hands. I like to blow my breath into them before I state an intention, as I feel it imbeds both my life force as well as my spirit.

Quartz crystals are the easiest to program with intent, and quite receptive. They work with all chakras. The wee slivers of quartz are just darling to program for use in planting and gridding – they get so excited, you can see them start to sparkle and get rainbows! I always include a small piece of amethyst or kyanite when doing this play, as these two stones vibrate at such a high frequency, they never need to be cleansed. In fact, they are so evolutionarily advanced in spiritual vibrations that they will also cleanse, charge and empower objects and space around them – that’s any stones, jewelry, rooms and you!

This leads me to the concept of cleansing your crystals.  Crystals are our master teachers in remembering who we are and connecting ourselves back to our Higher Selves, connecting us back to Source. They assist us in recognizing our power and enable us to travel this earthly plane with a spiritual air. It’s important to respect them and keep them clean and happy – they will do the same for you. One of the most common ways to cleanse a crystal is with sage or palo santo.  The Latin for sage is ‘Salvia,’ meaning ‘to heal.’  The name of the plant itself, ‘sage,’ means wise, elite, advanced. The vibrations of the plant embody its name, which is why the ancient Druids held it sacred and would burn it, and the Native Americans.

Palo Santo, (“Holy Wood”) is a magical tree from South America that has healing properties. Its delicious scent raises vibrations, which enables you to form a deeper connection to Source. Though it does not burn as long as sage, it is literally, Divine. Your crystals will sing for you when you bathe them in the smoke of the Palo Santo.

And speaking of baths, there are some crystals that just adore a good soak in some salt water or a running river. If you live near a natural body or spring of water, give those crystals that are ok with getting wet a treat.  You can dip them one-by-one, or create a special netted bag and just swish them in. Quartz is fine with water. Selenite is not. You’ll actually get a funny feeling in the pit of your stomach (and that intuition should develop even more as you continue to bond and play with your crystals!) about whether or not a crystal would like to be immersed in the water element. Trust it. One of my choice baths for my crystals is to use a special bowl or dish that I fill with good Himalayan salt and just let those critters soak in it for three days. After their soak, I like to rub them and will put them on a tree root or cover them with some flowers (awesome for rose quartz, kunzite and morganite!).

You can keep a little pot of earth or sand as well to soak your crystals in – the earth element will draw out anything that does not serve your crystal in the highest good and purify it.  For protective and super grounding stones, (like Black Tourmaline, Obsidian, Shungite, Onyx and Hematite) it’s best to cleanse regularly, as these particular crystals shield your energy field against psychic attacks and electro magnetic fields (EMF). Think of them like vacuums - you want to keep them empty so that they can continue to cleanse for you. Be careful of putting your crystals in direct sunlight for too long, as the powerful rays will bleach your crystals. This is actually an amazing way to bring back any crystals that have turned cloudy, a result of being ignored or hidden. In this case, a good sun bath is most appreciated. Full moonlight is an incredibly potent time to cleanse crystals. Put them out in a safe spot and let them bask in the silver rays of the moon overnight – they will thank you for this special energy and you, in turn, will resonate with it as well!

Talking to the crystals is a wonderful way to form a connection – they love attention! Rubbing them is not only a beautiful way to bond, but also will encourage growth. Notice how your crystal will sparkle more, create rainbows and even change colors! This is all a reflection of you and your growth.  Make sure that you are keeping your crystals on natural surfaces – no plastic! If you’re feeling crafty, perhaps you can construct a special shelf or area for them. I keep a majority of my crystals on my wooden countertop in the kitchen, as this is where I do most of my play. The crystals displayed change as my needs or focus does. Any grid-work that I am doing has its own special place where it will remain undisturbed until the intention has manifested (and this happens rather quickly, as the crystals are quite powerful!).

I have amethyst and selenite in every room, as they continually raise vibrations. I keep a white Himalayan salt lamp the size of a small child in my bedroom. Himalayan salt is one of the most holistic minerals, as it emits negative ions, which counteract the positive ions emitted from electronics and keep a clear space. Keeping the physical space, the environment, as sacred and charged will keep you in the same vibration; you will align to these high frequencies, identify with them, and resonate with them. When we allow ourselves to fall into harmony with these amazing tools of nature, we integrate our spiritual lives into the mundane with grace and ease, and begin to allow others to feel those vibrations.

There are so many wonders and initiations that the Crystal Kingdom has to offer, and it is eager to integrate itself into our lives. That is the beautiful relationship that we have with the nature, to orchestrate these highest of frequencies with us so that our spiritual essence, our LightBodies, can easily integrate into our physical selves. It’s such an exciting gift that is our birthright, to work with these Rock Stars and truly see that heaven is a place on Earth. 

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Shanna Fanelli is a certified Crystal and Sound Alchemist, Faeriologist, Energy Artist and Reiki I and II practitioner based in Santa Monica. Learn more about Shanna and her services at ShannaFanelli.com. 

Owning What Is

When I reflect on my youth, I recognize that I experienced many forms of self-destruction that I wasn’t fully aware of at the time. Patterns of deprivation, binging, bulimia, anorexia, over-exercising and even self-mutilation were formed during my teenage years, consuming much of my behavior and mandating many of my actions. Flashes of a mid-drift clad Britney Spears seduced me, patronizing perfection and obstructing my perception of reality; the attention I received for the cleavage I bared fueled me, engraining within me the idea that my value was contingent on the size of my chest; the desperation to seem attractive and desirable at the cost of our own health and happiness infiltrated the mindset of me and many of my peers, resulting in obsession over appearance. Over a decade later, I find myself living in a culture that has exacerbated this formidable epidemic.

When I was in grad school, I focused much of my studies on adolescent development, yearning to understand the complexities of the teenage psyche and how young people come to form their identity. I conducted a small group interview consisting of five adolescent girls for one of my final papers. Each of the participants revealed that she was a victim of self-destruction, and articulated that this had been evoked by the relentless quest to attain a “perfect” image. All five young women reported that they had excessively dieted and exercised, three of the five had undergone plastic surgery, three of the five had experienced anorexia, two of the five had battled binging and self-mutilation and one of the five struggled with bulimia. This revelation broke my heart; through talking with them I realized that critical conversations regarding the adversity and pressures they were confronting were lacking in their lives. 

As many of us may remember, during adolescence, individuals become egocentric, viewing the world from a single perspective.  They experience, what researcher David Elkind coined the “imaginary audience” – the belief that others are always watching them. So while many of us may not have the patience to indulge teenagers in their own drama, it’s a very real experience for them. And it can significantly impact their self-esteem.  I’ve read research articles that have indicated that for female adolescents, self-esteem consistently correlates with the way one views herself through physical appearance. And it doesn’t help that sociocultural pressures on adolescent girls enforce a thin ideal body image and perpetuate the importance of appearance in terms of one’s identity and success as a female… How can one thrive when facing this predicament?

This was my experience and it confused the hell out of me because, while I was influenced by the mixed messaging, prescribed gender roles and unrealistic portrayal of idealized and sexualized images, I also didn’t really buy into it and felt unsettled while forming my identity. I felt myself being pulled in two different directions – wanting to be received and needing to live up to the “perfect” image, while also intrinsically knowing how ridiculous the entire construct was. But I didn’t have the skills or the understanding of how to confront the dichotomy I was facing - I was fueled by achieving an unrealistic standard of beauty while also feeling completely disconnected from who I was; I wanted to be perceived as ideal and yet I was deeply insecure; I wanted to be viewed as a sexualized icon and yet I was closed off to all experiences sexual. The paradox was overwhelming for my adolescent brain – with an underdeveloped prefrontal cortex (as is the case for all teenagers) I was more impulsive in my actions and less grounded in my confidence.

Fast forward to my late twenties, only now am I learning what it means to be in my fullest expression, to be confident in myself and to honor the body that I have in this moment. The self-destructing patterns continued throughout my young adulthood, and they still have a tendency to show up – although faint, when thoughts of trying to achieve an illusory ideal become present, I have to catch myself in the self-destructive actions that immediately want to ensue.

Constant awareness of my thoughts and behaviors has been my saving grace; being mindful of my language and my internal dialogue has shifted the way that I relate to myself and others; letting go of the bullshit belief that I am supposed to fit into some box has freed me from the cage I once called home; asking for and being willing to receive support from loved ones in moments when I have fallen has helped me rise strong; and having conversations about the things that nobody wants to talk about is causing the rippling and granting others permission to inquire within and make a change.

I am now, at twenty-nine years old, navigating what it means to be a woman who is secure in her own skin; a woman who honors both her bright light and the depths of her darkness; a woman who doesn’t abide by society’s standards of beauty; a woman who is a contradiction in her softness, strength, sweetness, power, femininity, wildness, rawness and sensuality; a woman who is fucking vulnerable in her self-expression, knowing that self-love is cultivated when she is in full acceptance of all aspects that make her who she is; a woman who isn’t afraid to ask for help and receive the love that wants to find her; a woman who no longer feels the need to hide from, dim because of, compare to, and compete with other women; a woman who acknowledges the challenges that are still present as she discovers how to fully celebrate herself and own what is.

It’s a journey, a process, that I am still learning how to traverse – but I am committed to it and I refuse to allow others’ judgments, projections, limiting beliefs, desire to shame, and enforced ideals limit me. It’s time that we all take a stand, support each other and the younger generations as they discover who they are, and own what is so that we can feel our way through the muck and come out on the other side stronger and more beautiful than ever before.

Photo Credit: Laurent Levy Photography

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Jessica has a B.Sc. in Applied Psychology from New York University, M.Ed., in Human Development and Psychology from Harvard, and a M.A., (in progress) in Spiritual Psychology from University of Santa Monica. Jessica is also a columnist at Elephant Journal and has been featured with Huffington Post.

Connect with her at JessicaWinterstern.com and on Facebook.

Feeling Our Way Through

When it comes to self-love, I find myself both professing and internalizing the value of it in most moments; be it my writing, my coaching, my thoughts… My entire life seems to be permeated with this newfound concept. The notion of self-love has definitely infiltrated the New Age culture and many are deterred from just hearing the buzzwords that find their way into most conversations these days. Because what does self-love really entail and how does one accomplish it in the face adversity? 

“Sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never harm me”… I remember this saying well; I was taught it early on as an attempt to thicken my skin and not take to heart the mean things that were said to my face or behind my back. And yet, I remember becoming physically ill and emotionally wrecked by the stress and fear these experiences caused. While sticks and stones may have broken my bones, I came to understand that names could be just as harmful as words influence the expression of ours genes and wire our brains accordingly.

Language is a huge determinant of our wellbeing. Andrew Newberg, M.D., and Mark Robert Waldman, authors of Words Can Change Your Brain talk about the importance of “compassionate communication” and speak to the research which shows that as people concentrate on positive words, functions in the parietal lobe begin to alter, changing their perception of themselves and those they interact with. What we focus on affects our brains and the vocabulary we use has an impact one our reality.

So while this may sound “woo woo” to many and yield some eye-rolls and scoffs, science supports the validity of the power of language. Quantum physics reveals that all physical reality is made up of vibrations of energy. This includes language and vibrations differ based on the words used.  In the 1990’s, Japanese scientist, Masaru Emoto looked at the effect that words have on energy. By observing the molecular structure of frozen water, he proved that positive and negative words carry different vibrations and change the physical structure of an object based on the specific energy generated.

This is critical for me to remember when I find myself overwhelmed in the face of adversity. As mentioned in my previous article, I no longer run from it no matter how hard it feels. I don’t numb it no matter how much it hurts. I don’t make it wrong no matter how much shame it brings forward. I feel it and I support myself through the feeling while being mindful of my vocabulary.

But what does feeling it mean?

Feeling does not equate to wallowing nor does it call forth self-deprecation.

When I feel, I allow myself to experience the range of emotions, regardless of how challenging they may be. And yet, I know that they do not define who I am and that they will inevitably come to pass. This awareness provides me with the space to fully process while not becoming attached to my experience.

Feeling my emotions looks like a lot of things: Sometimes, I bawl my eyes out until it seems like my tear ducts have dried up. I make it ok for me to experience the depths of my sadness and grief instead of trying to stuff it down and ignore the breaking of my heart. Sometimes, I scream into a pillow until I am blue in the face. I allow my frustration, disappointment and rage to be heard, rather than rejecting that which needs to be released. Sometimes I write out my anger, scribbling hateful, hurtful, shameful words and phrases onto a piece of paper that I end up burning. I do not hold back, I do not censor, I do not judge myself for anything that comes up in that process. Sometimes, I sit quietly in mediation and I ask the painful feeling what it has to teach me, as listen for the answer, the lesson. Sometimes, I call that friend I trust and admire, who refuses to coddle me or care-take. That friend who holds space and listens and then reminds me of who I really am.

As Brene Brown puts it in her book, The Gifts of Imperfection, “One of the greatest barriers to connection is the cultural importance we place on "going it alone." Somehow we've come to equate success with not needing anyone. Many of us are willing to extend a helping hand, but we're very reluctant to reach out for help when we need it ourselves. It's as if we've divided the world into "those who offer help" and "those who need help." The truth is that we are both.”

I ask for help when I need it. I don’t disconnect from my heart anymore. I don’t pretend to have it all together in every moment. I try not to judge my feelings as good or bad, and when I do, I forgive myself.  And I accept the fact that I am human and with that comes a spectrum of experiences - every shade, every texture, every color are welcomed.

I am light, I am dark, I am everything in between and I provide the space for all aspects of who I am to be present.

Self-love comes with forgiveness, acceptance, acknowledgment, and trust.

I must be willing to forgive myself for the judgments I have carried; I must be willing to accept myself in moments of despair; I myself be willing to acknowledge myself for courage and strength required to feel; I must be willing to trust the process and know that it will inevitably change.

As I embody this mindset, paying attention to my language while giving myself permission to fully feel, I can connect to my heart and experience the love that beats through it. For there is no longer a barrier separating me from feeling its magnitude.

Photo Credit: Laurent Levy Photography

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Jessica has a B.Sc. in Applied Psychology from New York University, M.Ed., in Human Development and Psychology from Harvard, and a M.A., (in progress) in Spiritual Psychology from University of Santa Monica. Jessica is also a columnist at Elephant Journal and has been featured with Huffington Post.

Connect with her at JessicaWinterstern.com and on Facebook.

Dr. Sarah Larsen - Medical Intuitive

A Doctor and third generation palm reader, Sarah Larsen fuses Eastern and Western medicine as a medical intuitive. Using her deeply rooted ancestral psychic training, she has spent most of her life studying love and how to apply it practically towards healing. She and her husband Greg also share their passion for the miraculous as co-hosts of their weekly podcast called Miracle Makers and transformational world tours to sacred sites.

1.What daily practices do you highlight for people seeking health and wholeness?

We are creatures of habit and I love sharing the practices and behaviors that generate health and wholeness! These highly-sought states of being both can be found in simple practices that I teach and do! 

In fact, it could be summed up in the Sanskrit proverb, "For breath is life and if you breathe well you will live long on earth." 

I have 6 main practices that create great breath, health, and wholeness:

Before Sunrise: 

1. The Vedas state that one hour and thirty-six minutes prior to sunrise is the most powerful time for intentions, prayers, and meditation. This means daily, as we wake, we have the opportunity to synchronize all of these and our breath with the earth's cycles! Wake up, breathe, and create with the sunrise!

2. I oil pull, and this allows my entire body to be cleansed! Oil pulling was practiced daily in India and simply requires moving oil between our teeth! The full practice as studied and written about can be found here.

Before Lunchtime:

3. Feel hungry!  I practice eating only when I feel hunger and limit my body from ever feeling full.  It is the number one thing that you can do to extend your life! A little growth hormone gets created every time you feel hunger! Growth hormones repair your cells, raise your metabolism, and create the conditions for your major organs to repair themselves!

4. Before lunch drink 6 to 8 large glasses of water filled with fresh cut lemon or cucumbers! Many of us have heard the saying, "Where there is water there is life," and the same is true for our bodies!  By filling our bodies with 48 ounces of fresh water before lunch, we will have flushed our system and created new living life in our body!

5. Before lunch, also set up a time to sweat daily! With this much water in our system it is easy to walk or stretch into a sweat! Sweating and heating up the body with light movement keeps disease and cancers out of our system! 

At Sunset:

6.  Gratitude is a great attitude! The origins of this word have to do with "good will"! When we have the energy of good will in our lives, then there isn't anything we can't be, do, or have! The ancient teachings have the optimal time for feeling grateful at around sunset. I recommend sitting and watching the sunset for the day!  Actively create a practice to fill our hearts with gratitude for the moments that filled our day and our hearts! What you think about comes about! Let our hearts feel the daily practice of receiving and thanking for all we took in this day!

Gratitude has been linked to health benefits and an overall sense of wellness!

2.Do you see the integration of Eastern and Western medicine becoming more mainstream? Do you anticipate that this will be an essential component in the coming years?

The integration of Eastern and Western Medicine has been occurring since the Beatles shared their love for India with the rest of the world! In one way or another, the teachings of the two global hemispheres are essential to each other. The East is seeking the research and technology found here, especially with emergency medicine! The West is seeking out the peace and wholeness medicine practiced in the East! Whole herbs, nutrition, and full-body practices are recommended by most mainstream doctors, too! Most medical centers have a component of both now! Yoga, meditation, and nutrition are household words based on the integration of the two systems. We are also validating more and more of the Eastern practices with Western measuring devices. For example, the benefits of meditation are seen in a CT scan immediately! 

3. You have a deep connection with Egypt...Who is the real Isis and what do we have to learn from this goddess/culture?

Egypt is the home to humanity and to some of the greatest mysteries on Earth! We can trace all of those living at this time back to this region! I love sharing the land of the Great Pyramids of Giza, the timeless Nile, and mystery school teachings that holds the keys to everlasting peace, harmony, and service to humanity. There are many archetypes of humanity represented there. The archetype of the goddess Isis represents the true Divine Mother that helps humanity remember who they are! She is known for taking the scattered pieces of man, gathering what was lost, and then creating potential from remembering its wholeness! Her teachings are etched in the hieroglyphs! Essential oils, herbal remedies, and healing processes we still use today are found in the hieroglyphs! The surgical tray we use today is etched with precision into the walls of the temple. You have got to see it to believe it!

There are videos for you from prior retreats to Egypt on my website, found here.

4. Can you tell us about your role as a medical intuitive?

As a medical Intuitive I have the ability to listen deeply to what each cell, organ, and system in your body is communicating. My first teachers were my grandmothers! They were the most educated women and healers in the township that my grandfathers governed. Growing up, I did not know that everyone didn't see, hear, or feel what I did about other people's bodies until I was enrolled in medical school in India. I knew that all discomfort and disease have a spiritual, emotional, and mental component before they become physical symptoms of the body! I could "feel, hear, and see" the spirit, emotions, and thoughts occurring in others! I have been so blessed to have learned, taught, and served in so many regions of the world and with many different types of healing modalities. I am grateful for all of the education as a medical doctor that allows me to use my intuitive gifts to serve those that come to me. I believe my life is to be of service, and helping you experience your body at this level heals it to its inherent wholeness! I believe your health, happiness, and wholeness serve to bring about everlasting peace!

5. What special wisdom do you have for us this year in 2016?

2016 is a year of miracles! We are going to witness medical miracles, miracles for humanity, and direct connection to the spirit being measured by science! 

I launched a new show on UBN network called Miracle Makers. This truly is a gift from my heart to yours!

I know the miracle of being connected to something greater than ourselves and I am so grateful to share this wisdom with our community!  My husband, Greg Larsen, and I host incredible experts from around the world and share how the miraculous happens! Our goal is to help you know and embody your soul's purpose!

We would love for you to have all your hearts desires!

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To gain more of Dr. Sarah Larsen's wisdom visit her website, facebook, twitter, and YouTube channel.  Listen to her live shows on UBN Radio here, as well as her show Miracle Makers. 

I Love You AND the Answer is NO!

In the past, my understanding of boundaries was limited, embedded in my naivety; I built them on an unstable foundation made of fear. 

They were usually fueled by projected anger, blame, and hatred – the kind of boundary that screams, “if you come any closer, I will tear you apart” – mostly directed towards men. Years ago, I was at some bar with friends when a man I was judging as creepy started walking towards me. Every detail of that moment is still etched into my memory – from the sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach to the instant bitchy armor I put up as I automatically altered my state from open to guarded…I was ready to fight to the death. He smiled, which made me hate him more, and before he could finish his sentence, from the depths of my rage and disgust, I venomously spit out, “fuck no!” and turned away. I realized a moment too late that he was asking for directions to the restroom. I felt like an asshole; I had come off as nasty, when in truth I was petrified. 

Fear dictated many of my choices and ended up serving as the ultimate self-fulfilling prophecy and reinforced the vicious cycle.

I have learned a lot from my past ignorance: one of the most valuable lessons has been recognizing that the content is almost insignificant compared to the underlying force that creates it. More specifically, regardless of what I say or do in a given moment, when it comes from fear, the very thing I am trying to avoid is usually actualized. The effects may not be felt right away, but anything that is fear-based eventually falls apart. 

When I first learned this lesson, I identified each painful experience I had gone through, influenced by my fears and limiting beliefs – the boundaries came from a disempowered place serving no purpose other than to perpetuate a victim mentality. 

But I am not a victim; it was just the story I was telling myself. Once I saw through my spiraling patterns, I realized the very thing that would set me free. 

Love.

In choosing to take action from love, I let down the armor and everything began to shift. I began cultivating a deep connection with my heart and the ripple effect extended far beyond. The more I opened my heart, the more I was met by love. 

Because there was so much judgment entangled with boundaries based on my past experiences, I wasn’t able to grasp how boundaries and love could coexist. And so I chose to forgo all boundaries, wanting to maintain an open heart. 

Big mistake.

This is where I have been deluding myself and have also been inauthentic in my self-expression.

As I have immersed myself in more of a New Age mentality compared to my past, I have encountered many people who have taken a firm stance on the futility of boundaries and claiming that when we are coming from love, we are not separate from each other – well, I took this belief and ran with it. 

I found myself undermining my intuition, which strongly encouraged me to go left and yet I chose to go right; I abandoned what I knew, deep down, to be true for myself because I chose to honor someone else’s truth instead; I said yes many times when I really wanted to say no; I gave my power away time and time again believing that I was doing it in the name of love. 

I thought that by being spacious, leaning into discomfort and putting others first, I was moving from love, when I was actually doing the opposite; neglecting my truth, disowning my wants and disconnecting from my voice was the furthest thing from love. 

A beautiful man in my life recently shared his heart with me. In his vulnerability, he expressed his profound love for me and wanted to claim me as his woman. As I stood in front of him, I realized that I had an opportunity to change the trajectory of my life by letting go of an expired pattern.

While we share a deep love and connection, I am not his woman, and have known this to be true from the moment I met him. My intuition has always been there, I just never listened to it. And thus, in this newfound moment, I had a choice. 

A: I could continue believing the delusional thought that love negates all boundaries and go into agreement with his want, yielding and giving my power away as I had done before with other men…

B: I could attempt to control his reaction and conjure up some inauthentic response that would give him a sense of hope as a way of avoiding having to break his heart right then and there, which I have also done in the past…

C: I could be completely honest, communicate clearly by owning my truth, and set a boundary without taking responsibility for how he chooses to receive it.

In processing the different options, I realized that love could not come with choosing another at the expense of myself (option A) nor could it be present in my assumption that he wouldn’t be able to handle the truth and that I would break his heart (option B). If anything, those two options felt like the antithesis of love, as they came from a place inside me that was completely devoid of self-worth. 

I realized that setting a boundary and saying, “no, I am not your woman!” was the most loving thing I could do because I was honoring myself in that choice. And, in doing so, I was honoring him. 

Brene Brown talks about the importance of boundaries in her book, Rising Strong. She refers to the phenomenon as “Living BIG: Boundaries, Integrity, Generosity.” She says that, “setting boundaries means getting clear on what behaviors are okay and what’s not okay. Integrity is the key to this commitment because it’s how we set those boundaries and ultimately hold ourselves and others accountable for respecting them.” And once boundaries are clear, she goes on to say, “[we can] extend the most generous possible interpretations of the intentions, words, and actions of others.” 

As options A and B felt more familiar to me, I chose to live BIG in that moment and choose option C. I set the clear boundary, I stayed in integrity in choosing courage over comfort, and I was generous in my interpretation of his loving intentions. In doing so and by saying no, space was created for our dynamic to shift and evolve into something even more beautiful. 

The limiting belief around boundaries is that they they close us up and keep people out. While this may be true for some, setting boundaries from a place of love also has the capacity to strengthen our relationships, deepen the love that exists, and cultivate an incredible amount of respect and compassion for ourselves and those in our lives. 

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Jessica has a B.Sc. in Applied Psychology from New York University, M.Ed., in Human Development and Psychology from Harvard, and a M.A., (in progress) in Spiritual Psychology from University of Santa Monica. Jessica is also a columnist at Elephant Journal and has been featured with Huffington Post.

Connect with her at info@soulfullbyjess.com and on Instagram and Facebook.

Chef Frank Giglio: Ancestral Knowledge, Modern Techniques

At age 15, Frank Giglio fell in love with the fascinating world of food. Eager and intrigued, he began apprenticing directly under some of the top chefs in the US, which instilled a deep understanding of the creative process in working with food. He became a classically trained chef at the New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, VT, and years later would go on to graduate from The Institute for Integrative Nutrition in NYC.

While Giglio’s culinary offerings are based in classic technique and traditional foods preparation, he has also been immersed in using food as medicine. Wearing his chef’s hat, he focuses on sustainable cuisine, seeking the highest quality foods grown locally and harvested in season, supporting the crucial farm to table method of preparing food. He remains deeply connected to the earth in his daily life, merging herbalism and living food nutrition with wild food foraging. Frank creates innovative dishes that are wholesome, full of vitality and have a very small ecological footprint.

Giglio's adventurous culinary offerings have been showcased throughout the health community as Frank is the featured chef for NY Times Best-Selling Dr. Alejandro Junger’s Clean Eats cookbook. Frank has catered weddings, special events, and weekend workshops across the country and regularly feeds guests at Daniel Vitalis and Arthur Haines primitive skills courses. Through his many ventures and projects, Frank Giglio is helping to bring the local and sustainable food movement to communities everywhere, making it extremely accessible and incredibly delicious!  

Frank, along with his wife, Camille, runs Three Lily Farm, a culinary education and retreat center on 26 acres. Merging Frank's background in the culinary arts and inspiration from traditional diets, they are passionate about the quality of food that goes into their bodies and living sustainably with the land. For all of their cooking courses, dinners, workshops, and catering events, if the food isn't grown directly at Three Lily Farm, it's coming from a nearby organic farm.

In 2016, Three Lily Farm hopes to build first solar powered culinary education center on the land, which is abundant with fruit, herbs, gardens, and unique trees. Here House of Citrine had the opportunity for an exclusive interview with the chef from Three Lilly Farm:

1. What inspired you to become a chef?

I sort of fell into cooking at the age of 15. I wanted a car the following year so I found a job at a retirement home as a dishwasher. The food was subpar but the energy of the cook and their ability create meals really caught my attention.

After a year there I moved on to a fast-paced seafood restaurant in my hometown, where I would work during my junior and senior years of high school. It was at this restaurant where my love for cooking officially began.

In the two years working there, I made my way up from the breading room to prep cook, then eventually worked a variety of positions behind the line.

Although the work was demanding and my weekends and holidays were toast, I was drawn to the fast-paced nature of the kitchen and knew that cooking was a brewing passion I needed to pursue.

2. What inspires the creation of your dishes?

For me, the current season is what inspires me the most. On a daily basis, I look to the foods that are in season and available to me locally. This allows me to make the best use of ingredients that are at the peak of freshness.

Once I’ve selected my ingredients, I then look to their traditional uses and see how they were prepared. This knowledge usually can tell me how to potentially remove toxins, make each ingredient more digestible, and/or how to maximize the nutrition.

From there I just go with the flow. I love textures and will usually add a raw element to the dish. I will also add in a fermented food in some way or another. It may simply be a big scoop of kimchi over my roasted chicken or straining kefir and turning it into a spread.

3. What are some of your favorite ingredients to work with and why?

It really depends on the time of year. Because I eat so seasonally, I never really have the same ingredient around too long. That is, unless I preserved it in some way.

Although spring officially starts in March, we don’t really get any fresh food until late April or early May, but that’s when there is a great abundance of wild foods across the Maine landscape. During this time I’m eating tender dandelion greens, coltsfoot flowers, fresh nettles for homemade gnocchi, Japanese knotweed, and ramps (wild leek). Spring-dug parsnips add a sweet earthy taste to the fading stock in cold storage and overwintered spinach hits the markets from various local farms.

In the summer, I enjoy just about everything that comes into season. Beans for pickling, peas for pastas, greens aplenty, tomatoes, the list continues. Wild salmon is definitely one of my highlights of the summer. My time spent in Alaska created a deep appreciation for this beautiful and nutritious fish that needs a lot of love these days.

I love the addition of root vegetables in the fall, especially beets, possibly my favorite vegetable. They can be prepared in a variety of ways, from grated raw with herbs and vinegar to roasted tossed with goat cheese and toasted pecans. Acorn collections start in hopes to harvest at least 100 pounds or more to have enough to make it through the upcoming year. One of the most underutilized ingredients, acorns are a nutritious nut that have been traditionally used on most continents for thousands of years.

Winter is all about enjoying the bounty of the growing season. Fermented foods, pickles, mead, meat, frozen fruit and berries, and a variety of canned items add uniqueness to the rather monotony of winter ingredients.

4. Three Lily Farm encapsulates sustainability in its highest form. What advice would you like to share with others regarding this lifestyle?

It’s not easy! It’s completely glorifying to live close to the land, raising your own animals, and growing food, but it takes a lot of work. Living in a home that is completely off grid forces you to give up some of the daily conveniences that I used to take for granted. We can’t always shower, we don’t run a clothes dryer or keep all the lights on in the house. That being said, I don’t feel like we are being held back at all by the fact that our home is solar-powered. If anything, it puts me at an advantage over others who depend on the grid for power. When a storm comes, we don’t panic about potentially losing the power.

5. What does a typical day look like for you and your family?

I’m usually the first one out of bed in the morning, and depending on the time of year, that may be 5-6 am. I love getting up with the sun, or before it, as I find it’s the most inspiring and certainly the quietest time of the day for me. Once awake, I’ll do a little stretching, drink some coffee, and usually take the early morning to write, answer emails, or brainstorm projects.

By 8 am, I am usually out feeding the animals, which currently consist of 2 dogs, 2 pigs, 2 rabbits, and a handful of laying hens. Afterwards I’ll usually run the dogs up the road and loop back home through the woods.

Camille and Wilder are awake by now and breakfast gets going, which usually consists of smoothies for Camille and some sort of egg dish for Wilder and I.

Camille will spend the early morning working and switching back and forth with me hanging out with Wilder. Reading, painting, Lego creating, or out to the back yard are just a few of the daily activities.

During this time, I will start any lunch prep that’s needed, then head out into the garden or get to work on any new or existing projects on the land.

Around 1 pm we break for lunch, then carry on through the day as we can. With kids, the days are always changing, so I simply adapt to the day’s needs.

At some point during the afternoon Camille may break for a yoga session, I may get in a work out, or we may all take a hike to our favorite lookout point.

The remainder of the day is a bouncing back and forth between the computer and our current projects.

Dinner is usually around 6 pm, then it’s time for less lights around the house to save on our battery bank as we head into the evening. Whenever possible, I prefer to be in bed by 9 pm, although my 4 1/2 year old usually has other plans. :)

6. What are some of your favorite holistic products and why?

I gotta say, I’m a loyal fan of Living Libations. From their culinary oils to their Palo Santo Poetic Pits, every product I’ve tried has become a staple in my life. My top culinary oils are lemon, basil, and fennel, which go into my summer cocktails, smoothies, and butter mashups.

The SurThrival product line is another staple in my medicine cabinet. Thanks to good friend Daniel Vitalis, their founder, I have been a consistent chaga consumer since 2009. Their pine pollen in all its forms has been a real blessing during endurance sport training as well as daily life on the farm.

I’m also a big fan of the cod liver oil produced by Organic Pastures and Premier Research Labs D3 Serum.

7. Outside of sustainable food, Three Lily Farm seems to offer other services and products. Would you like to speak on those?

In the new year, we launched the Three Lily Farm Cookery Club. It’s a monthly membership site where we offer detailed recipes, monthly video calls, and access to my online courses. It’s a lot of fun!

During the summer months, Camille and I host an event called Back to the Land. It’s a 3-day retreat that focuses on traditional cooking and farming. It’s a sort of farm-to-table retreat where up to 16 participants spend the weekend together soaking in our spring-fed pond, sipping mead by the fire, and being inspired to cook and eat with the seasons.

We also offer catering, cooking classes, and a small product line made from ingredients purchased locally or harvested by us throughout the year. I’m currently working on a hot sauce, infused vinegars, spice blends, and a few herbal beauty products crafted by Camille.

8. What is one of your all-time favorite recipes?

It’s a simple dish, but I really love the pairing of wild blueberries and wild salmon. For about 2-3 weeks in July, I consume a lot of salmon. During this time there are 2 specific species of salmon that are available in fish markets throughout Maine. Sockeye and King salmon are both beautiful and highly nutritious fish. They are both fatty by nature which works perfectly with the sweet and slightly acidic blueberries which happen to cover the Maine landscape around this time.

Ideally, I’ll have a fire going outside, and I like this sort of primitive cooking technique where you make a plank out of wood, preferably cedar, and make a few spikes as well as slivers of wood. The spikes are pierced through the fish and into the plank. The fish is then cooked just a few feet from the hot coal bed and also takes on the flavor of the warm cedar.

The blueberries are hit with a touch of honey and apple cider vinegar, lightly mashed, and allowed to break down.

Once the salmon is about medium rare, I’ll take it to the table and spoon the blueberries right over the top. Simple, but so good!

9. What was the last meal you ate that you created?

Last night I pulled a pork butt (shoulder) from the freezer to thaw over night. It came from the pig I raised and processed myself. I placed it in a Le Creuset dutch oven along with a pint of my canned tomatoes, onions and garlic I grew, and dried crumbled kelp.

It went into a 325°F oven for about 6 hours and every so often I basted the pork with the tomato and juices until the meat flaked away. But then the tomato reduced and thickened up nicely.

I served it with roasted spaghetti squash, and buttery broccoli from the freezer. As usual, I enjoyed it with a variety of condiments from the root cellar.

10. What ingredients do you believe every person should have at their disposal?

First and foremost, Stocks and Broths are essential. These flavorful and nutritious liquids made from animal bones have so many uses and are so good for the body. Stocks and broths have been prepared for thousands of years and are essential for so many cuisines around the globe.

Making your own ensures the highest quality product without additional sweeteners, sodium, or other unnecessary ingredients that are often found in store-bought varieties.

Sea Salt

Our bodies need salt to live and food needs salt to enhance their natural flavors. From sweets to savory creations, a touch of salt really tightens the flavor of all you prepare. Unfortunately, most people cook with iodized salt, which is highly processed and absent of the other 90+ minerals that real sea salt possesses. I use solar dried sea salt from Maine.

Unpastuerized Apple Cider Vinegar

As I’ve made an effort to consume more locally-sourced products, I have done away with a lot of every day kitchen staples. Acids are an important part of cooking and balancing flavors and without access to lemons and limes, dishes would be missing that “pop”. In the past few years, I have been able to make my own apple cider vinegar as well as purchase it locally from Sewell Organic Orchard. I use it in everything from bone broth to vinaigrettes. The low pH makes it great for herbal extractions and general kitchen use.

Quality Butter

Whether added to your coffee or simmered into ghee, butter really does make everything taste better. I use butter in a variety of preparations and revere it as a sacred and nourishing food.

I stick to unsalted butter, which I source locally. Look for farms raising their cows on pasture during the summer and feeding them hay during the winter. 

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For delicious inspiration visit TheeLilyFarm.com and ChefFrankGiglio.com. Stay in touch with Frank and the Farm on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Rich Roll - Plant Based Iconoclast

Rich Roll is someone that we're proud to call our friend.  He's a man that has reinvented himself several times over the course of his life - he will be the last person to declare himself "done".  Like all of us, he's a work in progress.  But Rich, he pushes himself far beyond his comfort zone just to see where he may go.  It's a process, and he does it every day.  He's not a man of routine, but when he is, you can find him putting his talents and artistry to work as a premiere health advocate in public speaking, writing, and his very successful podcast, the Rich Roll Podcast.  Rich has an outlook on life that's relatable and meaningful.  We listen closely to every word, where we quickly find laughter and honest self-deprecating passion for his truly authentic self. We caught up with Rich for a few moments to get to know him just a little bit better.

1.  You travel so often; during travel time, what are some of the foods or beverages you find for snacks or a quick meal when on the go?

It’s getting easier. Airports are improving all the time. The American Airlines terminal has a Real Food Daily so if I fly out of that terminal I don’t have to plan ahead for a long flight. Otherwise, I pack food for the plane. Typical snacks include a veggie burrito, bananas, almonds, and plenty of water. I keep it pretty simple. I also spend a little time plotting where the vegan-friendly restaurants are in new cities. The Happy Cow mobile app is handy for this. In addition, I always know where the healthy food markets are where I travel. Often I will go right to the market from the airport before even checking into my hotel to make sure I have healthy options always on hand. Hotels with kitchenettes are always preferred. That said, I don’t overthink things or get stressed out. I have traveled all over the world and, invariably, I can find something that works no matter where I am. Every place has nuts, grains, seeds, and fruit.

2.  What is an ideal day for you?

A restful night of sleep followed by some tea and 20 minutes of meditation. After that I will do some journaling and then head out for a trail run, swim, or long bike ride. Ideally, it’s warm and sunny out! A green smoothie and healthy meal will follow (preferably prepared by Julie, who is an insane cook). The afternoon might include doing a podcast, working on a video, and spending time with my kids. A family tea ceremony and meeting in the evening where we congregate to share our dreams and challenges would preface a dinner prepared and enjoyed by our whole clan of 10 (we call it the “Jai Tribe”) will follow. Bed by 10!

3.  What’s something you do that helps you and your wife Julie stay so connected?

Making our relationship a priority. We both have a lot going on, and with four kids, two dogs, plus our nephew and oldest son Tyler’s girlfriend living with us (plus our artist friend Andrew and his young daughter who live on our property in an airstream), things are hectic and it’s easy to allow our relationship to slide. We have been together almost 18 years, and one thing I have learned is that nothing is static — especially my marriage. It requires a great deal of focus, attention, and work. We always carve out at least one date night per week and monthly overnight mini-vacations together. In fact, we just returned from a brief stay up in Santa Barbara for this very purpose. We poke fun at our differences, trying to celebrate them. And it’s important to never let resentments simmer. Fighting is a healthy part of being in an honest relationship, but we try to make our fights awesome. And if we are in conflict, we don’t walk away until it is resolved. Never go to bed angry.

4.  What’s your first thought when you wake up in the morning?

My head spins a million miles an hour with all the things I have to get done the moment I gain consciousness. That’s why meditation is so crucial to my routine — otherwise, I am reactive all day. Setting myself up to go on offense rather than play defense is important.

5.  What’s your favorite music album of all time?

REM changed my life. Murmur is a perfect album. Jeff Buckley’s Grace is a close second.

6.  Who is an influencer that you admire and why?

I take different forms of inspiration from many different people for different reasons and areas of my life. I can’t say any one person checks every box for me, perhaps because I do many things — I am a writer and an athlete and a podcaster, a family man, a filmmaker, a public speaker and an advocate. I approach everything I do from a creative perspective. So in this sense, at the great risk of sounding ridiculously pretentious, I consider myself to be an artist. And to create well, it’s important to not be overly influenced by any one person other than yourself and your inner voice.

7.  What’s your guilty pleasure?

Potato chips. There - I said it.

8.  Finding Ultra was a success.  The Plantpower Way was a success - is another book planned?

Yes. I am in the early stages of putting together my next book. I don’t want to say much beyond that it will be a primer on life transformation and living your authentic life.

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Learn more about Rich Roll at richroll.com, purchase his book The Plantpower Way, and download the Rich Roll Podcast.  You can also connect with him on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Kymia Arts

Avery Hopkins, Alchemist and founder of Kymia Arts is truly a man of mystery. As Frank Gorshin would say, he is a man of few words but many riddles. He is a man of depth with a love of plant medicine, mystical 13th century poetry, and Greek mythology. He creates metallic, plant, and animal essence oils using a technique found in ancient Indian Ayurveda. The products within his apothecary are meant for healing on a conscious level to reunite the mind/body in harmonious spirit. Having had the privilege to sample some of his oils such as the oil of gold, we can confidently say these are products that can be life-changing in taking you to the next level of consciousness. These truly are next-level products and we are excited to have an opportunity to interview the maker himself:

1. What is Kymia Arts?

Kymia Arts is an online branding and a platform that I created to showcase my work in the alchemical realm. It also serves as a minor storehouse of alchemical wisdom. Since much of the content I work with and speak about is essentially unheard of by the public - and if researched rather hard to dig up – I sought to create a space where many of the harder questions pertaining to alchemy could be deposited and answered.

 2. What is alchemy?

If you asked a thousand recognized experts, you would get a thousand different answers. I may not be a recognized expert, but I know my answer is the right one. Alchemy is: the understanding of the relationship between consciousness and matter.

3. What inspired you to start Kymia Arts?

Many years ago, I had the privilege of seeing and then understanding the thread that stitches together ALL of reality - the visible and invisible, the known and the unknown, the inside and the outside. I discovered that thread in alchemy. Unfortunately, when you set out to research alchemy, you come to find that the space in which alchemy is held can be a rather muddy and foggy place; many veils to say the least. 

It took me years to make sense of what it was that alchemy is and then years beyond that to duplicate for myself the practical side of the art, which is often seen and recognized through the laboratory works. After achieving success in my alchemical work, and my life at large due to this work, I began to feel the need to share what I knew so that others wouldn’t have to struggle for years in hopes of understanding this thing we call alchemy, or this thing we call reality. 

It is also worth noting that I hated working and participating in a system that was fueled by unconsciousness. On top of wanting to share my findings and understandings with the world, I wanted to liberate myself from a required or expected worldly lifestyle. Creating Kymia Arts was like building a ship. I launched that ship and set sail from the old. That vessel keeps me afloat today, and I am thankful for it.     
 
4. How is the alchemy in your products used differently than others?

I’m mostly known for my work in the Metallic realm. I choose to focus on metallic oils because it proves the alchemical philosophies flawlessly, while simultaneously slapping around the idea of “impossible” like a stupid fly too slow to dodge a backhand. 
The fact that Metallic essences are the foundation of Kymia Arts automatically sets my work apart from basically everyone on the entire planet. As far as I can tell, no one else has attempted to make this level of alchemical truth available to the public. In the past year I began pushing the alchemical philosophies to incorporate work in the animal realm as well. So now I get to also say that I specialize in extracting essences from animals. If that’s not different from others—then I wouldn’t know what is. 

5. How have these potions changed your life?

It’s funny that you choose to use the word potion. For those who don’t know, the word potion comes from the Latin ‘potio’ which means “drink.” This is also where we get our word potable, as in safe drinking water. A potion is a drink considered to have medicinal or magical powers. 

It’s safe to say that the oils and spagyric preparations I produce are imbued with a certain kind of magic. I call that thing, that magic, consciousness – because that’s what it is. The best way I can answer your question, as to how they have changed my life, is by saying that they helped me to not see what is not, and instead see what is. From that point on, it’s nothing but acceptance, enjoyment, and enthusiasm.  
 
6 What can you tell us about the benefits of your metallic oils?

The benefits of Metallic Oils are really all-encompassing. They work on the foundational archetypes of your consciousness, which coincidently (wink wink) are also the foundational archetypes for the construction of reality. Alchemical essences at large assist you in awakening to a full perception of self. When the self is known, all is known. Then all can be transmuted to exist in an immortal state. 
Anything that exists in an immortal state is self-sustaining – never lacking, never needing – forever healthy, happy, and whole. The essences I produce are catalysts to that residence of awakening. When the consciousness is awoken and known as self, the mind is liberated. With the mind liberated and illusion dispelled the body is filled with the immortal consciousness. Alchemical essences are truly conscious medicines in the most literal sense.

7. What is your spirit animal?

That’s actually a rather hard question to answer for me. I observe myself in all things, and all things know their essence as me. One of the more interesting aspects of producing alchemical medicines is that you are literally working with the consciousness of any given material when you extract its essence. The essence is expressed physically as the essential oil of the matter in question. If you were to ingest that essence, you would literally be ingesting the consciousness of another life form, whether it be rock, plant, or animal. Part of my personal journey in knowing myself and incorporating all of the myriad reflections which make up me on the whole. 
In regards to animals, if you ingest their essence, you can know what it’s like to experience this reality – consciousness - as that animal. The pattern of that animal, its soul and spirit, come to reside within you as you. I’m not sure what my spirit animal is, but I’m quite aware of the Owl, Tarantula, Mountain Lion, Bear, Coyote, Dolphin – the list goes on – that live inside of me. That topic alone is a profound topic of depth.  

 8. Your favorite place on earth?

The only one I can ever know – Here. 
 
9. Who inspires you?

Narcissus and Echo. And the stars. Saying that reminds me of a Ladinsky poem, which he attributes to Hafiz:

“Even after all this time

The sun never says to the Earth, “you owe me.”

Look what happens with

A love like that,

It lights the

Whole Sky.”

Stars are pretty inspiring.

10. What’s next for Kymia Arts?

For now Kymia Arts is still creeping into the consciousness of the masses. Since story is held in mind, for the moment this happening is limited to time. As I patiently wait for the inevitable progression of Kymia Arts, I tinker away in my lab and in nature, extracting essences from things that are rare and powerful. 

The animal alchemy of Kymia Arts is a new addition that showed up in the fall of 2015. Many new animal essences will emerge as time passes. I started in the deserts, forests, and canyons of Arizona, exploring the local flora, fauna, and history of that divine place. Much of the metals, minerals, plants, and animals that I have worked with so far have also come from that place. 

Now I am extending into the North, the Olympic range, and the oceans of the Pacific. I am excited to dive (pun intended) into oceanic works – Corals, marine mammals, fish and shellfish, cephalopods such as octopus, squid, and cuttlefish. I imagine I will find more alien life in the abyss of those waters than any paranormal stargazer.   

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To learn more about Kymia Arts and products, visit Avery's website, Kymia Arts. You can also follow Kymia Arts on Instagram and Facebook.

Letter From the Editor

As the New Year begins, I find myself in a perpetual state of gratitude. I would like to thank everyone who has inspired, participated, contributed, and truly supported the vision of House of Citrine.

I know many of us began this past year by setting goals, resolutions, or intentions for what we would like to manifest throughout the upcoming year. If you are like me, the New Year begins with the best of intentions, but as the months progress, many of us become disengaged or lose focus.  As a result, our motivation dissipates. While it is important for us to be forward thinkers (yet take the time to reflect on the year past), I feel it is even more important and vital to be truly present in each moment and appreciate the here and now with the practice of intention…

May we each take at least 10 minutes to quiet our minds in meditation before we begin the day (even 5 minutes will alter your reality) so we may then center ourselves with the goals we’d like to bring to fruition or the obstacles we wish to overcome. A mission to experience each new day with a raw and open willingness, a true fresh start.

I encourage each and every one of you to release and let go of that which no longer serves you.  This includes clearing sacred space in preparation for conscious connections with others. Personally, grounding and presence are essential in transmuting and negativity I may have once been consumed by. Setting boundaries is crucial to my well-being and is truly vital for everyone.

Surround yourself with people who you admire, who share your visions, and who are making an impact in the universe in a positive way. Connect with those who will love you unconditionally and lift you up. Those closest to you should only enrich your inner sanctum.

Please remember that everyone deserves some quiet time to more effectively navigate through the hustle and bustle of life.  I know firsthand how the noise of the city can overshadow and drown out my intuition. I find my truest relief in nature. To really ground yourself is to actively connect with the world around you. I know this, because each time I am in Sedona, AZ on the red rocks, or during a visit to the ocean, I feel my connection to the vast and limitless possibilities lying before me and become more conscious.

May you find what supercharges you and go there often. Find inner peace and rekindle the excitement of what is yet to come. In all things, carry gratitude in your heart as you come from an open place of vulnerability ready to receive life’s abundance.

So there it is, loves. These pieces of treasured reflections are precious gems I am honored to share with each and every one of you. Set a daily intention to see your yearly goals grow wings!

I wish you a year of health, abundance, blessings, light, laughter, and love.

Sima Morrison

Founder and Editor-in-Chief

P.S.  As we move into 2016, I am also excited to announce we will be adding a new element to House of Citrine…

Starting next week, we will begin offering you weekly ‘Citrine Gems’ where individuals in the community highlight conscious living in their everyday practice and activism will be showcased.  We are very excited about the new weekly Monday feature and trust these beautiful souls will inspire you as they have inspired us.

Health Freedom with Sayer Ji

As a widely-recognized researcher, author, and lecturer, Sayer Ji is an innovator and pioneer in nutrition, natural products, and health and wellness. He founded the world’s most widely recognized and referenced natural health resource of its kind, greenmedinfo.com, in 2008 in order to provide the world an open forum to access evidence-based resource supporting natural and integrative modalities. Today he is one of the most sought after public speakers for the health and wellness community in this country.

1. Tell us a little bit about what led you to start GreenMedInfo.

I’ve always been passionate about health freedom and the ethos of free and open access to information, which is required both for informed consent and a healthy relationship between government and the people. As Thomas Jefferson once said, “information is the currency of democracy.” GreenMedInfo was created to help fill a void in the natural health space, as there was a distinct lack of awareness that a massive database of published, peer-reviewed literature exists to support ancient and natural healing systems, the world over; my desire was to fill it with an open access database, completely derived from the National Library of Medicine bibliographic index MEDLINE, which now contains over 23,000 abstracts on the subject. One of my core missions with greenmedinfo.com was also to popularize and disseminate the information widely, and with about 1,000,000 unique visitors on average each month over the past two years, we are starting to bring that goal to fruition.

2. Can you share with us 5 herbs and foods that promote longevity?

There are wide ranges of foods that promote longevity. In fact, our database contains over a hundred, but my favorites are some of the most simple and overlooked. For instance, vitamin C-rich foods have the unique ability to regenerate steroid hormones in the body, including estrogen, progesterone and testosterone, prolonging and increasing their biological activity as well as preventing their degradation into what are potentially carcinogenic-transient hormone metabolites. This is performed by its role as an electron donor. You can learn the details in my article, “Sunshine Vitamin Regenerates and Detoxifies Your Hormones.” Additionally, pomegranate is really one of the most astounding longevity-promoting foods in existence. For instance, it has been shown to replace the function of the mammalian ovary, and it actually contains estrogen and testosterone bioidentical to human steroid hormones. And can you believe it is actually classified as the fruiting ovary of the pomegranate bush, and it looks almost exactly like a human ovary. You can read more about it in, “Amazing Fact: Pomegranate Can Serve As A Back-Up Ovary.” I could go on and on about the many dietary interventions that have been proven to decelerate aging, but one that speaks to many middle-aged people who have noticed aging skin is the power of both aloe and pine bark in reversing visible signs such as wrinkles. Better yet, for those who occasionally smoke, or, worse, regularly smoke, simply stopping will result in turning back the appearance of biological aging 13 years in only 9 months! You can read more about this in my article, 3 Evidence-Based Ways To Reverse Skin Aging.

3. What does a typical day for you look like?

I wake, make my organic coffee, check my email for my two or three dozen MEDLINE abstracts sent automatically by keyword, and do my daily newsletter, which is the primary way that people stay abreast of what we are doing at greenmedinfo.com. It’s free, and you can sign up in one step here. After about an hour, I either work out or do power yoga, and then visit the local health food store for a smoothie. I then usually work some more, which consists of reading, writing, and working through what is the endless set of responsibilities that a large presence in social media requires today.

4. What are some of your go-to herbs/supplements that are in your holistic medicine cabinet?

My favorites are turmeric, pycnogenol, beta glucan, vitamin C (from a food source), chlorophyll, and the reduced form of coenzyme q10 known as ubiquinol. Oh, and of course arnica, for bumps or bruises. : )

5. If you could eat any meal right now, what would you indulge in?

I love steamed greens, brown rice, salmon—really basic foods, and of course all organic. : )

6. What do you do when you want to stay grounded?

I find yoga practice to be extremely grounding for me. Power yoga tends to really enables me to relax and be present. If I travel, I always try to get a yoga class in as soon as possible, and I find it significantly reduces jet lag (which, it has been said, is really your energetic body still partially located in the place you left, perhaps thousands of miles away!). I also am a big fan of the technologies provided by kundalini yoga and energy medicine. I think we are entering an age where we are all starting to acknowledge that, as C. S. Lewis is believed to have said, “You do not have a soul.  You are a soul.  You have a body.” That means our intention, our vibration, our choices largely determine our biological destiny from the top down, and this is actually consistent with some of the physiochemical and molecular explanations of how our body works, coming out of the field of epigenetics.

Sayer Ji is the founder of greenmedinfo.com, on the Board of Governors for the National Health Federation and Fearless Parent, Steering Committee Member of the Global GMO Free Coalition (GGFC), and a reviewer at the International Journal of Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine.

You can also connect with Sayer on Facebook and Twitter.

Getting Real with Brandon Gilbert

The herbal expert who adoringly forgoes taking himself too seriously, Brandon Gilbert embodies an East meets West attitude all his own. Led by a voracious curiosity to share balance with the world through Traditional Chinese Medicine, he expresses his passion most comprehensively through Hyperion Herbs. His online platform and academy offer a wellspring of information (via podcasts, YouTube videos and newsletters) and products, creating a bridge into the ancient wisdom surrounding Chinese Tonic Herbs. With his refreshingly deep awareness and well-developed outlook on health, we look forward to all Brandon is destined to create in the future. 

Where did your spiritual journey begin?

Hmmm, this is a tough one to answer as I don't really believe in myself as an independent solid thing nor do I put weight in the idea that there’s a difference between regular experience and spiritual experience, etc. Taking a shit in the morning is on par with an out of body experience, feeling my dan tien rotate, or taking out the trash, etc. Honestly, sometimes taking a proper shit is more rewarding than any spiritual experience ever could be! Haha, especially when traveling!

Have I offended or discredited myself yet? :)

I began studying Taoism and Zen when I was about 14-15, something about it really just felt natural and right to me. Yet it wasn't until my early 20’s after many years of poor health, deep depression, and lots of anger that I began to wake up. This pain motivated to one day ask, “Maybe I can do something different?” This then led to the realization that “Wow, I'm really a negative, angry asshole that pushes everyone away.” Super deep right? Haha!

From there my obsessive nature really started to kick in and I became focused on health and returning to a more natural state. Fast forward to the present and I'm even more obsessed and spend the majority of my time studying, learning, and practicing Taoism, Nei gong, Chi gong, Ba Gua Chang, GuQin, etc. In all honesty, the deeper I go, the more I learn, the less I really care for other things and the more things naturally fall away without my conscious effort. Perhaps a cave is in my future some day :) 

What is your most practical Traditional Chinese Medicine Advice for the House of Citrine community?

There’s an old Chinese saying which is that “pure water has no fish.” 

My top advice would be to begin working our way out of the mechanistic, salvational, and puritanical way of seeing ourselves and the world that we’ve all been sold as reality. This is a huge conversation in and of itself and I've done countless hours of video on the subject, but for the sake of brevity, let's understand that this is probably where a great deal of our fear, anxiety, and stress comes from. This might sound far out, but it’s a fairly simple process to understand and I’ll break it down in the following way:

At some point in our early development, we have a broadly traumatic experience which causes us to lose our sense of ease, flow, and naturalness which is then replaced with predominate fixation towards anger, fear, worry, sadness, or excitation. Whichever one we lean towards most and the degree to which we do would be largely based on our constitution and the nature of the experience, among a myriad of other factors. From there we basically distort the free flow of chi in our systems and instead prefer certain things over others, thus creating imbalance, or in other words, what we might call the Acquired self. 

The funny thing is that we tend to really believe in the validity, solidity, and independence of this acquired self and as such develop our entire sense of existence around these ideas. Thus we’re actually in love with and addicted to the very cause of our imbalance and lack of ease, hence the judgment, defensiveness and coercion that we commonly understand as normal human behavior. If we examine many of the health, personal development, spiritual practices prevalent in our world today we can see that upon deeper inspections the majority of them are just variations upon the same theme and contain a great deal of self-hatred, coercion, and the salvational thinking which I alluded to previously. 

Some people may read what I'm saying here and immediately default to a sense of morbidity and seriousness, but in my opinion, it can actually be quite funny and entertaining. Really what I'm getting at is the belief that live is really serious and there’s all of this evil that we have to battle against.

Really I think it would be more productive to being focusing on what it means to be a HUMAN and what is human normal. In short, to be human is to be vulnerable, to be alive is to change and flow, and normal health is actually our natural state.

What advice do you have for conscious entrepreneurs?

Do as little as possible. Think as little as possible. Instead observe, find and follow the current. Be of service to yourself and others by being honest with yourself first. From there solve problems, improve, and evolve.

Can you explain why herbs are an essential dietary supplement?

In a very simple and practical way I think herbs are essential because they contain unique information and intelligence that is not found in our modern standardized feed, i.e. diet. 

This in combination with the fact that we all lead largely unnatural lives far removed from the rhythms and cycles of nature means that our systems can get a bit confused.

So other words certain herbs can be really supportive in helping to re-educate our bodies back to a more natural rhythm and cycle, ie. health.

 What is your favorite herb/recipe?

My favorite herb of all time is Reishi Mushroom and I honestly feel closer to this plant than I do to most of the people I’ve encountered in this particular lifetime. 

Reishi can be a profound guide and alley for certain people, which is probably why it’s been called the herb of spiritual potency and why the Chinese for Reishi, Ling Zhi, translates roughly to Spirit Herb. 

For more information about Brandon, check out his website HyperionAcademy.com, HyperionHerbs.com,  and Instagram.